'Extremely shameful': Fawad Chaudhry strongly condemns May 9 vandalism

• "Everyone associated with Pakistan was obviously saddened," Fawad says.
  
• He says those involved, whether they belong to PTI or not, should be punished.
  
• PTI leader says he's “ready to get arrested again”.

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After a dramatic sprint towards the Islamabad High Court evading a possible re-arrest, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry strongly condemned the May 9 violent protests triggered by the arrest of party chief Imran Khan.

Khan was taken into custody by Rangers personnel from Islamabad High Court (IHC), acting on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) orders on May 9 in the Al-Qadir Trust case.

The senior PTI leader, being the party’s spokesperson, termed the events “extremely shameful”.

“Pakistan exists because Pakistan Army exists and we must devise our policies keeping this point of view at the front,” the politician said, speaking with journalists outside the IHC post-midnight.

A day earlier, Fawad had just sat in his car after securing bail from IHC and had barely moved when he saw anti-terrorist squad personnel moving towards him. 

The former information minister immediately ran out of his car and rushed towards the court’s premises to evade the arrest.

The police had, interestingly, made a move to arrest the PTI leader despite him submitting an undertaking in the IHC of not violating section 144 and taking part in protests. 

The court had declared the arrest of PTI leaders Fawad, Shireen Mazari and Senator Falak Naz under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Ordinance (MPO) "illegal".

The politician spoke about his association with the military during the media talk.

“I belong to Jhelum and the district is the abode of martyrs and ghazis. It is more sacrosanct to us than our families and blood relations.”

The PTI leader regretted the attack on the Corp Commander House and the General Headquarters (GHQ) on the day the chaos erupted stating that everyone associated with Pakistan and its military was “obviously saddened” and their hearts were shedding tears of blood.

"As a spokesperson of the PTI, I think these events were very shameful. Those involved in the incidents, whether they belong to the PTI or not, should be punished after an inquiry,” he stressed.

Commenting on the state of matters surfacing in the wake of May 9 events, condemned by the military as a "dark chapter" in history, Fawad said his party is associated with Pakistan which also associates them with its army.

After attempting to escape police all day by protecting himself inside the court, the politician — speaking with media late at night — said he is “ready to get arrested” and left its premises.

Earlier this week, the military's top brass — in a Special Corps Commanders Conference (CCC) held at the General Headquarters with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir in the chair — vowed to try protesters and their abettors under relevant laws, including the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act, as they stormed military installations.

"The forum expressed [a] firm resolve that those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/ equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act," a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations mentioned.

The PTI, a day earlier, said it considers the ISPR statement “immensely important” calling for an inquiry into the events that unfolded last week.