Govt and PTI Clash Over Casualties in Protest March

Disputes over alleged fatalities during the PTI march, reportedly caused by law enforcement actions, remained a contentious issue between the government and the opposition on Wednesday.

PTI leaders, after withdrawing from Islamabad’s Blue Area on Tuesday night, accused security forces of firing on their supporters, claiming it resulted in several deaths. Unverified reports, amplified on social media and by figures like Sardar Latif Khosa, suggested a much higher death toll.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, however, refuted these allegations, asserting that no fatalities occurred during the law enforcement operation to disperse the protesters. Unlike responses to major events such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, where official casualty lists are typically issued, no formal reports were provided in this instance. Instead, the narrative appeared to rely heavily on unverified information shared by journalists and social media platforms, with no substantial evidence to corroborate the claims.