Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesman, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, rejected claims from the federal government that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Murad Saeed was hiding at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar. In an interview ,” Saif stated that if Saeed had been seen, he would have been arrested. He questioned why the government hadn’t arrested Saeed if he was spotted during the Islamabad protest, adding that he believed Saeed was not there.

Saif also denied allegations that PTI protesters were armed, insisting that law enforcement opened fire on unarmed protesters. He accused the government of misleading the public about the protest’s nature and reiterated that PTI founder Imran Khan had allowed a protest to be held in Sangjani, Islamabad.

These remarks came after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused Saeed of leading a group of armed supporters during the May 9 riots. Tarar alleged that the group was carrying guns, shells, and marbles, which were later recovered by authorities.

The PTI had organized a march on Islamabad in response to Khan’s “final call” for a protest, despite a court order barring the demonstration. The protests led to violent clashes with security forces, resulting in casualties on both sides, with at least five security personnel and 12 PTI supporters reported dead.

Tarar challenged PTI to provide video evidence of law enforcement using live ammunition, saying the footage he had shared showed protesters urging others to fire indiscriminately at the police. He denied the PTI’s claims of “straight firing” by law enforcement, asserting that the PTI had brought criminals to the protest to create chaos and violence.

The minister also pointed to medical reports from PIMS and Poly Clinic, which denied reports of gunshot-related deaths, and stressed the need to prosecute those responsible for the violence. Tarar accused the PTI of attempting to create anarchy and disrupt the country’s peace and economy under the guise of their protest.

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