LAHORE: A large number of people visited Jinnah House and Military Engineering Services office in Lahore that were reopened for the public Tuesday after the violent protest of May 9 last in which both places were set to fire.
The people expressed complete solidarity with Pakistan Army. The civil society declared May 9 a black day and condemned the terrorism in strong words. The public expressed deep sorrow and grief over the violation of the sanctity of national property and historic assets. They urged to reject violence and terrorism as a nation.
The civil society emphasized mutual tolerance and unity to counter extremism and collective reform. The Jinnah House and Military Engineering Services office will remain open from 11am to 1pm and then from 3pm to 6pm. The Lahore police have so far arrested 340 suspects who allegedly attacked the Corps Commander House (Jinnah House) in Lahore Cantt, looted valuables, misbehaved with the senior officer’s family members and set the house on fire.
The police sources say the prime suspect who had stolen and worn the uniform of the Corps Commander during vandalism has also been allegedly arrested. An FIR had been registered against these troublemakers under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which stated that the violent PTI workers were armed with firearms, sticks, stones, and petrol bombs.
After the miscreants attacked Army installations, the ISPR had said that May 9, 2023 – the day when chaos gripped the nation following PTI chief Imran Khan’s arrest – would go down in history as a “dark chapter”. The ISPR had called the PTI leaders “hypocrites” for inciting their workers against the armed forces on the one hand, and praising the military – in a bid to overshadow their criticism – on the other.
On Sunday last, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also directed the Punjab government to move swiftly and arrest the vandals within 72 hours. “I have given law enforcement apparatus a target of 72 hours to arrest all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage and damaging public and private properties,” the PM said after chairing a meeting at the Punjab Safe City Authority Headquarters in Lahore.