A comprehensive report submitted by the Punjab government to the Supreme Court of Pakistan has revealed that the province sustained a massive loss of Rs190.7 million during the May 9th unrest, which involved widespread vandalism and attacks on both public and private property across 38 districts.
The report provides a district-wise breakdown of the damages, identifying Lahore as the worst-hit city, with a loss of Rs110 million. Rawalpindi reported Rs20.6 million in damages, while Mianwali suffered property losses worth Rs50 million.
The Punjab government emphasized that the events of May 9 were not merely protests or political demonstrations but rather a coordinated assault on a state institution. This assertion was made by Punjab’s legal representative during a hearing in the Supreme Court, where broader proceedings on May 9-related cases are underway.
The report also disclosed alarming law and order statistics from that day. A total of 319 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered across Punjab, implicating 35,962 individuals in the violence. So far, 11,367 suspects have been arrested, while 24,595 remain at large, underlining the magnitude and scale of the crackdown.
These revelations come amid increasing scrutiny from the judiciary, which recently directed Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs) to complete all May 9 trials within four months, while ensuring that the fundamental rights of the accused are protected. The financial losses now documented add a new dimension to the state’s argument that the events were not spontaneous but posed a serious challenge to national stability and the rule of law.
