ISLAMABAD:  After the law enforcers drove the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters out of Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the need for taking tough decisions to rid the country of politics of agitation and ensure stability.

“We have to decide whether we save Pakistan or allow sit-ins to take place,” the prime minister said while addressing the federal cabinet meeting yesterday. PM Shehbaz’s remarks come after PTI’s much-hyped “do-or-die” protest, which saw clashes between the supporters of the party and the law enforcers, closure of roads and educational institutions, was postponed in the wee hours of Wednesday following crackdown.

Earlier yesterday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that life has returned to normal across Pakistan with roads cleared and mobile and internet services restored. The latest protest episode was part of the PTI’s months-long efforts to secure Imran Khan’s release who has been behind bars in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail in various cases for more than a year now.

The premier said that there was no one even imagined to launch a “onslaught” of Islamabad before, stressing that tough decisions will have to be taken now through mutual consultation. “We have two paths which we can take and it is obvious that we have to take the path of development and prosperity,” said PM Shehbaz.

Speaking about the economic losses faced by the country due to violent protests, PM Shehbaz said that the businesses were shut as life in the twin cities - Islamabad and Rawalpindi came to a halt.

“Our stock exchange, which had crossed 99,000, plunge by over 4,000 points yesterday due to the riots,” he regretted. “The economy is facing a loss of Rs190 billion daily due to the protests.”

Recalling the time when the Imran Khan-founded party had staged a sit-in in 2014, PM Shehbaz said the rioters caused violence for 126 days at a time when Chinese president had to visit the country. However, he added, the high-level visit was cancelled due to the PTI’s sit-in.

He further highlighted that the rioters had once again tried to create chaos ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the capital.

“There was a wave of concern among our guests whether to visit Pakistan or not,” he said. Shedding a light on the Belarusian president’s visit to Pakistan, the prime minister said the two countries will sign agreements in January.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 28 2024

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