Amjad Yousaf Zai
Rawalpindi: Finally, the former minister for aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has jumped from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) flagship by condemning the May 9 riots in the country, including attacks on the army’s offices and installations.
In a video statement, flanked with his son former MNA Mansoor Hayat and nephew former MPA Ammar Siddique Khan, Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that his family was involved in politics for almost 50 years and never clashes with institutions. Mr Khan has condemned the May 9 violence, saying people involved in the attack on GHQ, Jinnah House and military memorials should be brought to justice.
“Pakistan’s forces have rendered sacrifices for the survival and protection of the country,” he said adding that attacks on martyrs’ monuments, General Headquarters and other sensitive installations were tantamount to anti-state acts.
Referring to the attacks on GHQ and Lahore’s Jinnah house, the former minister said the protesters attacked “heart of Pakistan”. “I condemn all those unholy actions… all those involved in such crimes should be given exemplary punishment,” he demanded. Moreover, Sarwar Khan also hit out at his party saying that he strongly condemned the policy of confrontation of with the institutions. “I disagreed with the confrontational policy at every forum of the party. We should not fight with institutions,” he remarked.
His statement emerged on social media a day after he was arrested from Islamabad over his alleged involvement in the May 9 protests on early hours of Wednesday from his close friend house in Islamabad and in day time was shifted to Wah Cantonment Police station. Instead addressing press conference announcing quitting the party in which he enjoys two powerful ministries including petroleum and aviation ministry, he recorded his announcement in his official secretariat in Taxila and released to media and social media.
