May 9 to be remembered as ‘dark day’ in Pakistan’s history: President

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday asserted that May 9, 2023 will always be remembered as a dark day in Pakistan’s history when a politically instigated mob ran amok across the country, damaging public property and military installations.

On May 9, 2023, charged mobs vandalised private and public properties including military installations following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan, which formed the basis of a severe state crackdown against him and his party.

In a statement issued on X, President Zardari strongly condemned the violence and said the unfortunate incidents severely tarnished the country’s image, which only served the interests of Pakistan’s enemies.

He termed the mob attacks as an attempt to challenge the writ of the state, undermine the rule of law and weaken the institutions.

The President said that peaceful demonstrations and constructive criticism were the essence of democracy, emphasizing that Pakistan’s Constitution enshrined the fundamental rights of assembly and expression.

Nonetheless, he stressed the vital importance of exercising these rights with utmost responsibility, adhering strictly to the bounds of constitutional and legal provisions. He affirmed that any attempt to misuse these rights to incite violence would never be tolerated.

“We have never seen such vandalism in responsible democracies, with violent mobs wreaking havoc on state properties for political gains,” he remarked.

The President expressed pride in Pakistan’s Armed Forces and its institutions, which had been a vanguard in defending the nation against various threats. He emphasised that those responsible for the May 9 violence should be held accountable according to the law.

He observed that Pakistan faced numerous challenges, and such irresponsible acts by political forces not only hindered the progress achieved as a nation but further exacerbated socio-economic challenges.

“The current political situation demands that all political parties work towards promoting tolerance, democratic values, and political dialogue, and provide a clear direction to the nation,” he said.

The President urged political parties, the parliament, the media, and civil society to strengthen democracy by upholding the rule of law and fostering a culture of tolerance, political dialogue and inclusivity.

He also regretted and condemned the malicious social media campaign against state institutions, saying that a mechanism should be evolved to check and counter such disinformation campaigns.

A day earlier, DG ISPR Maj-Gen Ahmed Sharif on Tuesday said that any dialogue with the PTI could happen only if it “apologises sincerely publicly in front of the nation.

Commenting on the prospects of dialogue with any faction, Maj Gen Chaudhry said: “No talks will be held with any political leader, or group which attacks its own army and indulges in propaganda [against them]”.

“There can be no dialogue with an anarchist group,” he noted adding that the “only way forward for the anarchists [group] is to apologise sincerely, abandon the politics of hate and indulge in constructive politics [instead]”.

“Talks are for political parties, not institutions,” the army’s spokesperson

Responding to another question, DG ISPR said the party only gained 31 per cent of votes in the February 8 elections. He also rejected the impression those who voted for the party in general elections endorsed the May 9 attacks.