On Saturday, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that a man seen forced down from a container in a viral video during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest was not praying but rather making a TikTok video.
Speaking to reporters in Rawalpindi, Tarar addressed the video that captured widespread attention. The video shows the man at D-Chowk amid public criticism of authorities. He refuted PTI’s claims that the man was praying before the incident, dismissing them as propaganda.
Tarar added that the individual, hailing from Mandi Bahauddin, is alive and suffered only minor hand injuries. He explained that the man had taken up a friend’s challenge to film the TikTok video.
نماز پڑھ کے دعا مانگ رہا تھا نیچے گرایا بندے کی گردن ٹوٹ گئی موقع پر مر گیا، گلے لگانے کا یہ صلہ دیا۔۔۔ pic.twitter.com/gxc3VYXtzv
— Kamran Wahid (@Khankamoo) November 26, 2024Amid claims from PTI of losing at least 20 members in violent protests, the government reported that about five law enforcers had died. Following the arrival of PTI workers and leaders at D-Chowk on November 27, authorities enforced a crackdown late at night, compelling protesters to disperse.
In response, law enforcement detained over 1,000 PTI workers, including more than three dozen Afghan nationals, and seized tear gas and other ammunition.
During his press briefing, Tarar emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards violence, praising its proactive stance under the Prime Minister’s leadership despite inheriting a near-default state.
“He is a resident of Mandi Bahauddin and is completely fine. His video has emerged, he got hurt on the arm and has bandages,” Attaullah Tarar said.
The minister did not specify if the man was currently admitted to any hospital.https://t.co/rsXVqTChYF
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 30, 2024Addressing accusations of “politicization of dead bodies,” Tarar confirmed that local hospitals had not received any casualties, accusing PTI of fabricating incidents using outdated or artificial images to mislead the public.
He highlighted that Pakistan’s foreign reserves had surpassed $11 billion, indicating successful economic stabilization.
Tarar criticized opposition tactics, including misusing unrelated violent footage from the Middle East, claiming it depicted local events. He condemned the opposition for not sharing footage of martyred Rangers, instead focusing on spreading false narratives.
Pakistan military ABDUCTED 🚨
Tahir abbas tarrar yesterday, man who the Rangers threw 30 feet down from container while he was praying.
His arms are fractured with multiple fractures on his body.
His forced video will be released soon as we all know. pic.twitter.com/p6re0Bysht
— bonky.chonky (@bonkichonky) November 29, 2024Tarar also recounted walking the streets post-protest to ensure transparency. He criticized the opposition for their chaotic actions, including claims that a Rangers vehicle was involved in an incident, which he dismissed as baseless.
Tarar vowed swift legal actions against those arrested, emphasizing the government’s commitment to accountability and dismissing the opposition’s disruptive tactics as anti-state activities. He asserted that the public was becoming aware of the opposition’s true motives, signalling a loss of their support.
