Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s spokesman, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, has dismissed the claims made by the federal government that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed is hiding at the Chief Minister (CM) House in Peshawar.
In an interview, Barrister Saif denied the allegations, asserting that if Murad Saeed were at the CM House, he would have been arrested by law enforcement. “If they had seen Murad Saeed, they would have arrested him,” Saif stated. He also questioned the credibility of the claims, saying, “I think Murad Saeed was not there,” referring to his absence during a recent protest in Islamabad. Saif emphasized that PTI workers at the protest were unarmed and accused law enforcement agencies of opening fire on peaceful demonstrators.
The controversy surrounding Murad Saeed’s whereabouts arose after federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar alleged that Saeed had been seen leading a group of armed protesters during the violent clashes in Islamabad last month. During a press conference, Tarar claimed that Saeed was harboring at the CM House in Peshawar, a PTI stronghold, and was involved in the violent protests, where guns, shells, and marbles were allegedly found among the arrested protesters.
Tarar further challenged PTI to provide video evidence to substantiate their claims that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) had opened fire on protestors. “I have shared video evidence showing that protesters used weapons against the police,” he said. He also accused PTI of bringing in professional criminals and Afghan nationals to escalate the violence. “No personnel of the LEA was allowed to use live ammunition,” Tarar stressed, rejecting claims of police brutality and labeling them as “propaganda.”
Despite the federal government’s claims, Barrister Saif stood firm in his defense of PTI’s stance. He reiterated that the protests were peaceful and that external factors instigated any violence. The situation remains tense as both sides continue to exchange accusations over the events surrounding the protests.
The protests erupted in Islamabad following PTI founder Imran Khan’s call for a “final push” against the government, despite the Islamabad High Court’s orders prohibiting the demonstration. Violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement left several dead, with PTI sources reporting casualties among their ranks. However, the government has denied any wrongdoing by law enforcement personnel, citing medical reports that deny gunshot deaths at PIMS and Poly Clinic.
The political tensions between the government and PTI show no signs of easing, with both sides continuing to point fingers at each other over the violence and alleged cover-ups. The question of Murad Saeed’s location remains unresolved, as both the government and PTI offer conflicting narratives on his whereabouts.
