The mayhem witnessed on May 09 and 10, 2023, where various mobs allegedly led by the PTI workers targeted and vandalised Pakistan military’s cantonment areas, monuments of the martyrs and the Corps Commander House in Lahore, was unprecedented in Pakistan’s history. While the Pakistan Military has continued to play an overt and covert role in political affairs of Pakistan since soon after the country’s inception to-date evoking strong criticism from citizens from time to time, never before has the military faced a public display of such wrath in a synchronised, orchestrated and violent manner on its cantonments and its monuments.

Rightly condemning the May 09 and 10 mayhem, the official agency responsible for military’s public outreach, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), termed it as a “dark chapter” that will never be forgotten. Since the violent attacks were sparked after the arrest of Mr. Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the ISPR defended that Mr. Khan’s arrest was “in line with the NAB statement and law” and blamed that the attacks were coordinated and carried out by the PTI workers and leaders. The ISPR press release also claimed that the facilitators, planners and political activists involved in the protests had been identified and strict action would be taken against them “as per the law and all these evil elements will now be responsible for the consequences.”