Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari responded to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) “final showdown” protest on Sunday, asserting that the state will not yield to rioters.
In a press briefing, Minister Bokhari sought to downplay claims of unrest, stating, “The situation in Lahore is normal. People are peacefully going about their daily routines, having breakfast, and celebrating Chitthi. The protests and demonstrations we hear about are mostly limited to WhatsApp groups.”
She dismissed the notion of a widespread revolution, calling it baseless. “Those who claim to bring revolution are still asleep,” she said. “Bushra Baji, who urged the nation to wake up, is herself resting. Neither she nor PTI’s founder’s family is involved in any protests.”
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Bokhari also criticized PTI’s leadership for involving government employees in the protests, warning that attempts to incite chaos in the province would not succeed. “The state will not surrender to rioters,” she emphasized.
The minister also touched on the political situation in the Punjab Assembly, noting that despite PTI’s 104 members in the provincial legislature, “We are still waiting for the militants, but no one is showing up.”
Addressing security concerns, Bokhari referred to a threat alert from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the previous day and the arrest of three terrorists in Islamabad’s F10 sector, who were allegedly involved in terrorist activities in Balochistan.
She concluded by stating that the protests were not resonating with the public, remarking, “Not even a thousand people have come out for the protest in Punjab.”
