ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to prosecute protesters who attacked civilian infrastructures under the anti-terrorism law while those who vandalised military property would be put on trial under the Army Act.

Initially, the government had planned to proceed against those involved in the violence erupted after the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan in military courts, as was evident by decisions made by the National Security Committee.

The NSC had endorsed the decision of the top brass to act against rioters under the Army Act. However, it seems that criticism from national and international groups has led the government to make a distinction between the two groups.

Addressing a meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said those who attacked civilian infrastructure would be prosecuted in the anti-terrorism courts while cases involving military installations and property, such as the Corps Commander House, would be tried under relevant laws.

According to the prime minister, May 9 was the “darkest day in the [country’s] history” when miscreants allegedly belonging to the PTI set fire to the Corps Commander House in Lahore. He equated this with the attack on Quaid-i-Azam Residency in Ziarat in 2013.

“On May 9, Imran Niazi and his followers stoked terrorism and violence that amounted to anti-state acts,” the premier said, as he drew comparison between the PTI and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan over attacks on military installations.

He recalled that militants had attacked a naval facility in Karachi in the past while the PTI supporters damaged a plane outside the Mianwali airbase which had been used to defend the country.

Unfortunately, these Pakistanis turned into enemies of the country and carried out attacks targeting the Radio Pakistan and several other buildings across the country, said Mr Sharif. “Such agonising incidents will continue to haunt the nation,” he added.

Talking about progress made on the legal proceedings against rioters, he reiterated that it has been decided that anyone involved in the incidents of “planning, instigating, sloganeering, and vandalism” would not escape the iron clutches of the law.