Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Sunday reacting to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) today's "final showdown" asserted that the state will not capitulate to rioters.
Addressing a presser, Minister Azma Bokhari sought to downplay the claims of unrest, saying, “The situation in Lahore is normal. People are peacefully going about their daily routines, having breakfast, and celebrating Chitthi. The protests and demonstrations we hear about are largely confined to WhatsApp groups.”
She also addressed the claims of a widespread revolution, dismissing them as unfounded. “Those who claim to bring revolution are still asleep,” she remarked. “Bushra Baji, who urged the nation to wake up, is herself resting, and neither she nor the family of PTI’s founder are involved in any protests.”
The minister also took aim at PTI’s leadership for involving government employees in protests, warning that any attempt to create chaos in the province would not succeed. "The state will not surrender to rioters," she declared.
Commenting on the political dynamics in the Punjab Assembly, Minister Bokhari pointed out that despite the 104 members of the opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the provincial legislature, “We are still waiting for the militants, but no one is showing up.”
In her remarks, the minister also touched on the heightened security concerns in the region. She mentioned a threat alert issued by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the previous day, referring to the arrest of three terrorists from the Park Tower in Islamabad's F10 sector. The individuals, Bukhari said, were implicated in terrorist activities in Balochistan.
The minister further highlighted the Punjab government’s stance on the ongoing political turmoil, suggesting that the protests were not gaining traction among the public.
“Not even a thousand people have come out for the protest in Punjab,” she stated. “Meanwhile, Ali Amin Gandapur, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has vowed to stage a sit-in until PTI’s founder is released. But in reality, their concerns lie with the influx of foreign investment into the country.”
