Even a single casualty in the PTI’s protest is a loss for Pakistan and requires an inquiry to punish those responsible
Since the “suspension” of the PTI’s protest in Islamabad, the clash between the opposition party and the ruling government has morphed from fisticuffs to a war of narratives.
In the immediate aftermath of the retreat, various PTI leaders alleged that security personnel allegedly killed “numerous” supporters in straight firing. Senior party sources have since claimed the death of at least eight people. In a video statement, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja claimed around 20 supporters lost their lives. Claims from social media users, many of whom are overseas supporters of the PTI, have ranged from 100 to 400. These views have found validation from some leaders such as Latif Khosa—who was not part of the “do or die” protest.
In response, the government has outright rejected all reports of gunfire casualties. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed law enforcement action claimed no loss of life. Information Minister Ataullah Tarar similarly claimed the PTI’s actions had led to the deaths of security personnel, and law enforcers had acted with restraint. Some media reports, however, allege a cover-up—though they acknowledge social media counts are likely hyperbolic.
The ongoing confusion has led to the government demanding a verifiable list of casualties from the PTI, maintaining ‘hundreds’ of dead cannot disappear without a trace. The PTI claims this will soon be forthcoming. In their bid for political point-scoring, both sides are missing the forest for the trees.
What cannot—and should not—be denied is that casualties occurred during the three days of the PTI’s protest. At least five security personnel and two PTI supporters are confirmed dead. Rather than fighting over numbers, the government and opposition must work together to reduce public discontent. Even a single loss of life is a loss for all of Pakistan. Rather than acting with obstinacy, all stakeholders must work toward a political settlement and reduce prevailing repression, censorship and constant threats of agitation. A potential path to tentative peace lies in initiating an independent inquiry that affixes responsibility on individuals responsible. The alternate is allowing public anger and concern to simmer, with an inevitable outpouring in future that neither the opposition nor the government appears capable of resolving.