Zionist elements were involved in Rawalpindi incident:Minister for Law Punjab

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah has said that Rawalpindi incident was a conspiracy against national unity and integrity of Pakistan by the anti state and Zionist elements, but people of Pakistan especially of Rawalpindi and ulema foiled the nefarious designs of such elements by remaining peaceful.

He lauded the positive role of media in connection with coverage of the incident. He said that the data and numbers being displayed and highlighted on social media regarding deaths, injured and missing persons is completely baseless and highly exaggerated and negative.

He disclosed that twenty eight culprits involved in this incident has been identified so far with the help of CCTV, Special Branch and Electronic Media video footage out of which sixteen have been arrested and are under the custody of law enforcing agencies for interrogation. He further said that rupees twenty four crore has been initially allocated by the Punjab Government on the instructions of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for reconstruction of Taleem ul Quran mosque, madrassa and shops of Madina Market.

He stated this while addressing a well attended press conference on Thursday, in Rawalpindi. Punjab Minister for Labour & Manpower Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, MNAs, MPAs were also present on this occasion. The Provincial Minister for Law categorically informed that total eleven persons died in the incident, 56 injured and at present 12 injured persons are convalescing in the hospital out of which two are serious. Rana Sanaullah said that the material being uploaded on social media by certain elements regarding deaths, injured persons and containing sectarian hatred is based on false and fabricated figures and such material is being uploaded with certain mal-intentions of creating restlessness and disrupting the unity and peace in the country by the anti state elements. He said that the promise of Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif regarding making Rawalpindi incident an example with regard to arrest and putting the culprits to the task in accordance with law would be fulfilled in letter and spirit. He said that complete impartiality is being observed in all process of investigation.

The Minister further said that ulema and religious scholars of all schools of thought have given assurance for being peaceful while protesting against the tragic incident of Rawalpindi. He said that fool proof security arrangements have already been completed keeping in view the call of protest by different schools of thought on Friday. He said that peace and tranquility would be ensured at all cost with a view to protect the lives and properties of citizens. He said that the Chief Minister himself had detailed and thorough interaction with renowned ulema and religious scholars of various schools of thoughts and similarly from local to national level this exercise is being done with a view to maintain brotherhood, fraternity and religious harmony among files of Muslims in the country. He added that Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif held meetings at federal and provincial level to discuss the situation and details of the Rawalpindi incident and take necessary measures in this respect.

The Minister for Law said that Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif had already ordered judicial inquiry of the incident as well as constituted Fact Finding Commission which has started its work and the report of this commission would be put up to the concerned quarters within next few days in the light of which action would be taken against officials and officers who are held responsible for any negligence with regard to their duties at the moment of the incident. Rana Sanaullah categorically rebutted all rumors regarding missing of many persons after the incident and said that if there had been any person missing, his relatives can bring the facts and figures in the notice of administration, police and media.

The Minister also disclosed that the culprits involved in this tragic incident would be dealt under Anti Terrorism and Tahufz-e-Pakistan Act and they would be punished after trial within short span of time. He said that the culprits who did not have any respect of the Holy Quran and books of Hadiths and they burnt everything in the mosque and madrassa can never be Muslims. While responding various questions of the journalists, the Minister said that Pakistan is a democratic country and permission for peaceful gatherings and protest cannot be denied as the government believes in democracy and supremacy of constitutions.

Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Punjab Minister for Labour & Manpower addressing the press conference paid tribute to media of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for their positive role in connection with coverage of Rawalpindi incident. He also lauded the cooperation of ulema and traders for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the city. He said that when the government is ready to accept the just demands of the ulema and traders with regard to their damages and losses occurred due to incident of 10^th Muharram, then no one should be worried as those who faced damages would be compensated after the survey by the committees constituted in this respect.

He appealed ulema and citizens to remain peaceful and especially those who want to protest on Friday against the tragic incident of Rawalpindi. Party ticket holders including Malik Ibrar, Begum Tahira Aurengzeb, Seema Jillani, Asfand Yar Bhindara, Dr. Tariq Fazal Ch., Asia Naz Tanoli, PML (N) City President Sardar Nasim,Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Shakeel Awan, Raja Hanif Advocate, Ch. Sarfraz Afzal, Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, Ch. Muhammad Ayaz, Dr. Jamal Nasir, Zaib un Nisa, Umer Farooq, Lubna Rehan, Tehseen Fawad, Sobia Satti, Haji Pervez Khan, Zia Ullah Shah, Mirza Mansoor Baig, Maqbool Ahmed Khan, Farooq Khattak, Shaukat Janjua and other party leaders were also present on this occasion.