Information Minister Attaullah Tarar clarified on Saturday that a viral video showing a man being forced down from the top of a container during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest was misportrayed, stating that the individual was not engaged in prayer.
“He wasn’t praying, but filming a TikTok video,” the information told reporters in Rawalpindi, as the video of the man went viral, wherein he was being forced down a container at D-Chowk and people censuring authorities.
Explaining further, Tarar refuted PTI’s claims, saying the party was spreading propaganda that the man had been praying before being pushed and killed.
The minister clarified that the individual, a resident of Mandi Bahauddin, was alive and well, having sustained injuries on his hand. Tarar said the man had challenged his friend that he would shoot a TikTok video.
The violent protests in Islamabad, as per PTI, had claimed at least 20 lives of its members, while the government says that around five law enforcers had embraced martyrdom.
When party workers and leaders reached D-Chowk on November 27, the authorities launched a late-night crackdown, forcing them to end the protest and flee, as per ministers.
In response, the law enforcers have also arrested more than 1,000 PTI workers, including over three dozen Afghan nationals, and also recovered tear gas and other ammunition.
Meanwhile, during the presser, Tarar emphasised that no individual will be allowed to resort to violence. He commended the government’s tireless efforts under the leadership of the Prime Minister, saying that the nation inherited a country on the brink of default but chose to act decisively rather than complaining.
‘Politicisation of dead bodies’
Tarar also criticised the ongoing “politicisation of dead bodies”, clarifying that neither PIMS nor Polyclinic hospitals had received any bodies, as confirmed in their statements.
He accused the PTI of using artificial intelligence to create fake images and circulating 2019 photographs from PTI’s tenure on social media to mislead the public.
Tarar highlighted that Pakistan’s foreign reserves have now surpassed $11 billion, reflecting the government’s economic stabilisation efforts. He questioned the shifting narratives, first alleging sniper shots and then direct firing, and pointed out the misuse of Middle East violence videos falsely claimed to depict events at D-Chowk.
The information minister remarked that whenever the country begins to progress, disruptive elements emerge. He criticised the opposition for not posting videos of martyred Rangers but instead spreading propaganda.
Tarar accused them of firing AK-47s and questioned why they failed to share such evidence. He noted that all TV channels aired footage of their leaders fleeing, leaving behind slippers, clothes, and vehicles.
The PML-N leader claimed that he personally walked the streets after their escape to demonstrate transparency.
KP CM ‘fled twice’
He noted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur fled twice and pointed out inconsistencies in the opposition’s claims about the number of dead bodies.
Tarar challenged them to present a single video showing Rangers firing, asserting that the entire nation witnessed their retreat. He promised swift trials for arrested individuals, vowing no leniency for those responsible.
The minister reiterated that the security forces were unarmed and accused the opposition of relying on outdated and false videos generated using artificial intelligence.
He questioned the absence of evidence of firing despite claims of being chased. The information minister criticised the opposition’s leadership for their absence during protests and condemned the mistreatment of PTI leaders Salman Akram Raja and Sahibzada Hamid Raza.
He accused the opposition of attempting to harm the state by burning their own container and sabotaging the Belarusian president’s visit. Tarar claimed that even the people of KP rejected the opposition’s chaos.
He suggested that traders should seek compensation for losses incurred and dismissed claims about a Rangers vehicle crushing personnel, calling it baseless propaganda.
Tarar accused the opposition of insulting martyrs and attempting to derail the economy with false narratives. He vowed expedited trials for arrested individuals, stressing accountability for those spreading misinformation about dead bodies.
Finally, he declared that the opposition’s anti-state agenda had been exposed, and the public now recognises their true intentions.
