Rawalpindi : Security personnel shot dead a man after he allegedly opened fire on Mall Road in Rawalpindi, with security sources saying the situation was brought under control following swift action at the scene.
According to the sources, the deceased was identified as Muhammad Hussain, a resident of Khyber district and an alleged supporter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The sources claimed that a PTI flag, weapons, ammunition and other documents were recovered from Hussain after the incident.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar condemned the firing and described it as an example of what he called PTI’s politics of violence and disorder.
Reacting to the incident, Tarar said there could be no justification for a PTI worker allegedly opening fire at a security official. He criticised what he described as the repeated use of violence by PTI supporters during protests.
The minister claimed that armed individuals had increasingly become associated with PTI demonstrations and said the party had a history of protests that, according to him, had frequently led to unrest instead of remaining peaceful.
Tarar also raised questions over the timing of PTI protests, alleging that demonstrations were being organised at moments coinciding with major national and international developments that he said were supporting Pakistan’s economic and diplomatic progress.
He claimed that the timing of such protests suggested an effort to disrupt the country’s development and undermine progress on the national front.
The information minister stressed that political disagreements should be addressed through peaceful and democratic channels, rather than through violence or confrontation with security personnel.
