PM Shehbaz warns of 'harsh action against state enemies' after violent protests hit Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday addressed the nation after a long day of violent protests by the workers and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) over Imran Khan's arrest.

The PTI chairman was taken into custody by anti-graft body, called NAB, with the help of police and Rangers personnel on Tuesday noon from the premises of Islamabad High Court.

In his address, Shehbaz criticised the Imran Khan party for the unrest that engulfed the nation following the arrest of the PTI chairman in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case and said "harsh action will be taken against state's enemies."

The prime minister strongly criticised the PTI in his address to the country, labelling the party members' acts "unforgivable crimes."

He added that Pakistan's political past had been "very bitter", political vengeance has never produced positive outcomes.

Shehbaz Sharif said, under the PTI administration, federal ministers used to discuss specific charges brought against political opponents, and former premier Imran Khan used to foretell arrests.

Not only political rivals, but also family members and close friends, according to PM Shehbaz, were not pardoned.

According to PM Shehbaz, "all evidence" in the AL-Qadir Trust case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan is in place.

He questioned how the PTI cabinet was kept "completely in the dark" about the situation and claimed that the National Accountability Bureau is conducting the probe based on the facts.

"How could it be a cabinet decision when it involves 60 billion rupees from the national treasury?" he added.

The "real role" and duty of political leadership, according to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is to prevent their employees from crossing legal lines when being arrested.

"As political workers, we are unable to express joy over any arrest. We have really lived through a painful period of life, he remarked.

However, he claimed that via their activities following the former premier's detention, the PTI and party leader Imran Khan had committed the "unforgivable crime" of hatred against the state.

The prime minister urged "terrorists and elements who are enemies of the state" to stop their "anti-state activities" right now, threatening harsh punishment for the "miscreants" if they didn't.

"They'll receive an example-setting punishment." he added.

The PM said "we will not permit anyone to conspire against the protection of the state and ideology of Pakistan, which is more precious to us than our lives."

Nor will we allow their evil plans to come to fruition, he continued.