ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that major political leaders, including Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, are facing threats to their lives.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said information about the threats had been received from foreign sources and he had informed the PTI chief about it.

About the government’s move to summon the army under Article 245 of the Constitution to aid police and other law-enforcement agencies to ensure Islamabad’s safety, he said the decision had been taken days before the launching of military operation in North Waziristan because of the experience gained during operations undertaken in cities in 2009. The notification about the summoning of the army had been issued in consultation with the military leadership.

He said that 352 troops were being requisitioned and they would operate under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 to assist the civil administration and police. Decision about places of their deployment will be taken by the district magistrate.

Decision to summon Army under Article

245 taken days before Operation Zarb-i-Azb

A framework for summoning the army has been put in place. He said Article 245 gave a general authorisation without mentioning the law under which troops would operate. “Now this model will be followed by the provinces whenever they want to requisition the army in aid of civil power,” he added.

Chaudhry Nisar rejected a perception that the army was being summoned to stop a march on the capital by a political party and said the decision had nothing to do with any public meeting or sit-in. He accused the critics of the decision of trying to make the army controversial at a time when the country was in a war-like situation.

Answering a question, he said the notification would not be withdrawn even if the PTI called off its protest march. “It’s a pre-emptive action meant to avert any ugly situation,” he said, adding that the delay was caused because some legal and constitutional issues had to be examined.

He pointed out that Article 245 was part of the Constitution and those trying to find faults with it had not only played a role in its passage but also invoked it during their five-year term in government. Army is called in aid of civil power in many democratic countries, including the United States, Britain, Italy, Spain and India.

The minister recalled that the article had been invoked in the country 11 times since 2007 and the army had been called in during general and bye-elections and to aid civilian agencies in counter-terrorism efforts, maintain law and order and even for verification of electoral rolls in Karachi.

He said the PPP had requisitioned the services of the army during lawyers’ long march and the troops had assisted the civil administration in maintaining security during Muharram.

He said Article 245 had been invoked 21 times in recent years, but the notifications issued for the purpose were vague and the number of requisitioned troops and timeframe were not spelt out. The notifications did not mention under which law the troops would operate, he added.

The troops are already providing security to key strategic departments and the latest notification would provide a constitutional cover to them.

He said this time troops had been requisitioned for three months but the timeframe was not sacrosanct and could be reviewed in accordance with the situation.

Answering a question, he said the PTI had not yet sought permission for a rally in Islamabad. Under the law, an application is to be submitted to the district magistrate who will give his opinion before the matter is examined by the interior ministry. A decision is taken by the government.

Responding to another question, he said there was no threat to democracy and the government had good working relationship with the army and other intuitions.

Chaudhry Nisar hinted that after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country, the government might try to pacify Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri. There is no harm in contacting them and discussing their demands.

When his attention was drawn to reports that the notification summoning the army had been challenged in the Islamabad High Court, he said: “We will defend the notification before the court when a notice is issued to us.”

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014