'State won't forgive': Fawad Chaudhry warns protesters against response

Dunya News

The information minister said agreement no final solution.

KARACHI (Dunya News) – Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the state preferred negotiations on violence to end the country-wide protests “but that isn’t the solution”.

Talking to reporters in Karachi, Fawad Chaudhry said government’s bid to diffuse the crisis by not resorting to violence should not be taken for its weakness.

“The constituion, civi-military leadership and our judiciary were insulted in the recent protests. State is not weak. They will pay for what they did,” he warned.

Referring to the five-point agreement between the government and demonstrators, the minister said there was no such point in the document which called for the state to “pardon miscreants who vandalised public and private properties”.

“Insulting national institutions and the constitution…. is revolt and the state won’t ignore it. If someone thinks that the state would simply forgive and forget….that’s some misconception,” he added.

Chaudhry said the impression should be dispelled that the state had bowed down to the protesters by agreeing to their demands, adding that the use of force was a matter of concern for the government.

“Had we gone for the operation, we would’ve been criticised for resorting to force. (Agreement) was a strategy. Will look for the final solution,” he said.