Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday of inciting violence at the Bannu peace rally to blame the army.
During a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar asserted that PTI disrupted the peaceful protest and instigated violence, alleging that armed individuals within the protest fired shots, leading to civilian casualties and injuries.
Tarar criticized PTI Chairman Imran Khan for not condemning the incident and for spreading misinformation about direct firing on protesters. He further accused PTI of fabricating evidence, including using images of children from another country to falsely claim they were victims of the violence.
The minister questioned the impartiality of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to form a commission to investigate the incident, expressing concerns about PTI members’ involvement in the protest and their ability to conduct a fair investigation.
The protest, organized by the trader community, aimed to demand action against armed groups operating in Bannu and surrounding areas.
The federal government asserts that the situation in Bannu is stabilizing but accuses certain political forces of exploiting the incident for political gain and spreading misinformation. PTI has vehemently denied the allegations, rejecting the federal government’s claims of their involvement in the violence.
