PTI damages assets over 240 million Pakistani rupees in protests

The Islamabad Inspector General's office has submitted the report to the Islamabad chief commissioner, following the violent protests that took place in the capital of Pakistan over the weekend. PTI workers took over the streets in Islamabad last week resulting in immense damage to public and private party. Despite this, the protests have not been called off.

Geo Tv noted that PTI had launched the protests as it continues to campaign for the "independence of the judiciary" on the backdrop of Shehbaz Sharif led incumbent government proposing to bring in new constitutional amendments. Another important reason for the continued protests is for the release of its founder, Imran Khan who has been locked up in Adiala Jail for over a year now.

PTI has a history of organising protests that last for months at end. In 2014, Imran Khan led protests at Lahore's Democracy Chowk for a time period of over fourth months. PM Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to rein in the protesters saying that he will not allow PTI to repeat what it did through its 2014 sit-in.

Geo Tv noted that the report handed over by Islamabad's Inspector General's office saw that 441 safe city cameras worth PKR140 million were damaged during the protest. It added that 10 police vehicles, 31 motorcycles, and 51 gas masks were damaged. The protestors also inflicted damages on three private vehicles and a crane. The report mentioned that one policeman was killed and 31 others sustained injuries during the course of the protests.

The PTI protests paralysed life in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as the twin cities were sealed off with containers to prevent the demonstrators from entering.

Finance Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Aurangzeb, addressing the country said that the Economic Advisory Wing of the Ministry of Finance assessed the economic losses of the protest and came up with a whopping figure of PKR190 billion owing to halt of economic activities. (ANI)