Infor Minister Tarar accuses PTI of fabricating false narrative on firing at protesters
Tarar assured that the country's economic outlook would improve further in the coming months.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information, Attaullah Tarar, on Tuesday condemned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for spreading a fabricated narrative regarding the violence during recent protests. In a media briefing, Tarar accused PTI of attempting to deceive the public with false claims, particularly about law enforcement firing on protesters.
He challenged PTI to provide any credible evidence that law enforcement personnel had fired directly at protesters, asserting that there is no video footage to support such allegations. “There is not a single video showing law enforcement directly firing on protesters,” Tarar stated. He highlighted that a viral video, in which a man claimed to have been shot, contradicted itself. In a follow-up video, the same person appeared to say he had injured his hand, but no bullet marks were visible when he revealed the bandage.
Tarar also addressed PTI’s exaggerated claims of fatalities, including figures ranging from a dozen to 4,000 deaths. He pointed out that PTI leader Lateef Khosa had claimed over 150 bodies were found at his residence, while PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar downplayed the number to just 12. “If there were any bodies, PTI should present them to the media,” Tarar said, mocking the party’s claims that dead bodies were circulating on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp.
In response to PTI’s narrative, Tarar also emphasized the martyrdom of four Rangers personnel and a police officer, lamenting that PTI had not shown any sympathy for their families. He also shared an example of misinformation about a boy named Jam Amanullah from Khanpur, whose death had been falsely attributed to law enforcement firing. His father later released a video confirming that his son was alive and at home.
Turning to the broader economic situation, Tarar highlighted the government’s economic achievements under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He pointed out that inflation had fallen to a 70-month low, foreign exchange reserves had exceeded $11 billion, and the stock market had broken records by crossing the 100,000-point mark. He attributed these successes to the government’s prudent policies and the hard work of Prime Minister Sharif, who, according to Tarar, played a crucial role in averting a potential default.
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Tarar also recalled that when Pakistan was on the brink of economic collapse, some political parties had actively sought to prevent the country from receiving assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He praised the efforts of Prime Minister Sharif in securing financial stability, citing the IMF’s recognition of his leadership in averting default.
The minister concluded by expressing optimism about continued economic growth, with inflation at 4.8%, interest rates reduced to 15%, and foreign remittances reaching $8.8 billion. Tarar assured that the country’s economic outlook would improve further in the coming months.
