Pak PM Shehbaz wants 'PTI arsonists' in jail within 72 hours
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has set a deadline of 72 hours for the arrest of culprits involved in violence that erupted after PTI chief was picked up.
On Saturday, Sharif said, "it is time to do or die or now or never", reports Dawn.
He has blamed the PTI chief and his followers for arson and violent attacks said, "The real culprits who showed this kind of enmity against the motherland should be arrested and produced in anti-terrorism courts under the relevant laws. These elements should be arrested immediately, without fear or favour".
The PM released a statement on Twitter which said that all those involved in facilitating, abetting and perpetrating the disgraceful incidents of arson, ransacking, sabotage and damaging public and private properties will be arrested, says Dawn.
Sharif said all available technical and intelligence resources were being deployed to chase down these arsonists, as he vowed to make it a "test case for the government".
"The cases of vandalism will be tried by anti-terrorism courts," the premier said, adding that the law minister had been instructed to increase the number of such courts for the purpose.
He alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his "armed followers" acted like the enemies of Pakistan.
"It is now or never," said the prime minister who vowed to show no mercy towards the attackers who "showed enmity against the motherland".
The prime minister said the whole nation, except Khan and his armed followers were "in an utter state of grief over the painful incidents".
According to Reuters, at least eight people were killed in the violence, a spasm of unrest in a country that is facing economic crisis, with record inflation, anaemic growth and delayed IMF funding.