Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi has alleged that the May 9 protests were planned to distract the world’s attention from the G20 conference in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).

Addressing a scholars’ convention in Gujranwala, he claimed the aim was to portray to the world how Pakistan could speak for IoK when it was itself subject to “infighting”.

Ashrafi called for exemplary punishment for the culprits of the May 9 riots while also saying that no innocents should be mistreated.