PM Shehbaz said in front of the NSC gathering that those who planned, carried out, and assisted the vandalism on May 9 undoubtedly committed an act of terrorism.
The Prime Minister said: "Whatever happened on May 9 will be remembered as Black Day in the history of Pakistan." He was referring to the violent protests and attacks on the General Headquarters, Lahore Corps Commander House (or Jinnah House), and other military installations after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
"The person who lives in this [Jinnah House] protects Pakistan," the prime minister stressed.
The premier expressed his profound sorrow at the arson assault on Jinnah House and remarked, "I have never seen such a situation before."
The premier continued by saying that those responsible for the violent acts on May 9 will face punishment. To establish an example so that no one would ever dare repeat similar actions in the future, the offenders should be held accountable.
He said that innocent people should not be touched, but the perpetrators of these horrific acts should not be spared, even if the nation's top executive requests any mercy for them.
He claimed that these acts of vandalism are comparable to acts of terrorism and have embarrassed the entire country. The prime minister said that goons of a political party attacked military institutions, including the GHQ in Rawalpindi, the FC Camp in Quetta, and other public property. He said that these individuals had done things that "our enemy even could not think of in the last 75 years."
PM Shehbaz also pledged that the outlaws who vandalized government buildings, destroyed military installations, and stormed the ISI headquarters in Faisalabad would not escape punishment.
He said that today's gathering demonstrated how the whole country supports the armed forces.
Ministers from the federal government, heads of the services, and other senior officials attended the meeting.