The NSC resolved on Tuesday to have the nation mark May 9 as a “black day” during a meeting.
Federal ministries, military authorities (including Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir), officials from secret agencies, and chief ministers all met at the Prime Minister’s House, with Shehbaz serving as the meeting’s chair.
During the gathering, people honoured the heroes who had died protecting the country. The security personnel were also applauded for their nationwide efforts against terrorism and covert operations.
The meeting’s main topic was a briefing on the events of May 9 from several sensitive institutions. It came out that vandalism had occurred, causing harm to both public and private property.
There was disturbing damage directed at military sites, historic buildings, memorials, and portraits of martyrs. The briefing also revealed evidence of a calculated strategy to set fires.
The government, security forces, and intelligence services were resolved to swiftly punish those responsible for these atrocities and restore law and order.
Keynote speech by Prime Minister Shehbaz
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif vowed to bring those responsible for the events of May 9 to justice, stressing that any tragedy of this scale must never happen again.
As meeting chair, he described May 9 as “a black day in the history of Pakistan.” According to him, the tragic events of May 9 will forever be remembered and will affect the lives of millions of Pakistanis.
The Prime Minister expressed regret that attempts were made to defile national symbols of high honour, causing widespread anguish and outrage. He decried the arson of Jinnah House, the residence of Pakistan’s guardians, as an insult to the honour of the country.
The premier brought up the bombing of the General Headquarters (GHQ) and the Mianwali Airbase during the meeting. In addition, he brought up the devastation of FC School, emphasising that such tragic events occurring over 75 years required an exhaustive investigation and unrelenting dedication to resolving the issue.
The chief executive voiced harsh disapproval, saying those responsible for planning and inciting the violence should face no mercy. He added that it was heartbreaking to see the sculptures of martyrs vandalised and vowed to take prompt action by making arrests and filing lawsuits within 72 hours.
The Prime Minister, Shehbaz, assured the public that only the guilty would be punished and that innocent people would be protected.
He stressed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters had accomplished what not even Pakistan’s perpetual adversary had been able to do.
The premier acknowledged the heroic soldiers’ sacrifices during the 1965 war, Zarb-e-Azb, and the maintenance of peace and order, and he mourned the heresy of the martyrs and ghazis, a subject close to his heart.