PTI Islamabad protest causes damages worth Rs240m: report

• PTI protest paralysed life in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. 
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vows to rein in protesters. 
• FinMin says protests cause economic losses of Rs190bn. 
  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) protest in the federal capital caused damages worth Rs240 million to private and public property, a report has revealed.

The Islamabad Inspector General's office has submitted the report to the Islamabad chief commissioner, following the violent protests that took place in the capital over the weekend.

The main opposition party's protest took place in the capital last week and although it hasn't been called off, the supporters are yet to take to the streets this week.

The PTI has launched protests for the "independence of the judiciary" — as the government aims to introduce constitutional amendments — and for the release of its founder, Imran Khan.

However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to rein in the protesters saying that he will not allow the Imran Khan-founded party to repeat what it did through its 2014 sit-in.

The report mentioned that 441 safe city cameras worth Rs140 million were damaged during the protest.

It added that 10 police vehicles, 31 motorcycles, and 51 gas masks were damaged. The protestors also inflicted damages on three private vehicles and a crane.

The report mentioned that one policeman was martyred and 31 sustained injuries.

The PTI protest paralysed life in Rawalpindi and Islamabad as the twin cities were sealed off with containers to prevent the demonstrators from entering. 

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, addressing a televised speech on Tuesday, said the Economic Advisory Wing of the Ministry of Finance assessed the economic losses of the protest and came up with a whopping figure of Rs190 billion owing to halt of economic activities.