ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Monday vowed that the State of Pakistan would defend the civil servants in discharging their constitutional duties and act against those “violent trolls” involved in blackmailing and pressurising them.

The prime minister, in a statement, said that the people of Pakistan had spoken with a clear voice on February 8 and had given a split mandate.

“Some elements with a proven track record of violent behaviour and vigilantism (however) are now using different tricks, including weaponisation of social media in blackmailing, vigilantism and pressurising civil servants to switch their loyalties from the State of Pakistan to the violent gang,” he added.

Such action, he said, was a clear violation of the Article 5 and other articles of the Constitution and the laws of the land.

“The State of Pakistan shall defend the civil servants in discharging their constitutional duties, act against these violent trolls and ensure exemplary punishment to them.”

Prime Minister Kakar said that there should be no doubt about the government’s commitment to the noble civil servants serving the State and the people of Pakistan.