ISLAMABAD: Warning protesters against trying to ‘capture’ any state institutions on Constitution Avenue, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan categorically said that “nobody should be under any illusions”.

“Your liberty to swing your arms ends where my nose begins,” he said, paraphrasing American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, as he addressed the protesters during a press conference at Punjab House on Friday.

This was Chaudhry Nisar’s first interaction with media since the marchers entered the red zone. In his last press conference, the minister had warned demonstrators against crossing ‘red lines’, saying that the security forces deployed to protect state institutions would resist any attempts at a breach.

The interior minister said while he did not want to allow the marchers into the red zone, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif decided otherwise. But he ruled out any more relaxation of the rules, saying any further advance would constitute an attack on somebody’s home, which would entail swift action.

“I have been told in threatening terms that there will be bloodshed. If that does happen, it will happen in self-defence,” he remarked.

Chaudhry Nisar accuses PTI, PAT of violating undertaking

He called on both the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to choose the democratic option of dialogue and assured them that all their demands, which fall under the ambit of the law and the Constitution, would be accepted.

He said the government was ready for meaningful talks, adding that positive signals from the other side were “a good omen”.

In reply to a question about the protesters’ demands to remove the containers around the high-security zone, Chaudhry Nisar said those blockades were there for “security purposes”.

“Some of the containers can be removed if both PTI and PAT chiefs submit written undertakings that they will take full responsibility in case of a terrorist attack. I will personally go to get their signatures or send the interior secretary,” the minister added.

He said there were still threats to the protesters. “According to an intelligence report, two more suicide bombers are on their way to Islamabad and a senior officer of the Inter Services Intelligence has informed me that an explosives-laden vehicle had been dispatched to Islamabad,” he said.

The interior minister said that these threats were emanating from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and hence a search of vehicles coming to the city from KP was essential from a security point of view.

“Other than that, tell me if even a single person has been arrested in Islamabad or expelled from the sit-in,” he said, adding that there had been no violence perpetrated by the police on the protesters.

Chaudhry Nisar said the government had given both PTI and PAT tremendous leeway, allowing them to change venues and enter the red zone.

“We were promised that the protesters will remain peaceful, will not carry any weapons or firearms, will not damage buildings, flora and fauna, or obstruct access to public and private buildings and that garbage will not be left undisposed. All these conditions have been violated,” he lamented.

The judges of the apex court, he said, had problems getting to work and at least two foreign heads of state have had to cancel visits to the country this month. “The stock exchange has taken a nosedive and dollar-rupee parity is at 101,” he complained.

He also dispelled the impression that the inspector general of Islamabad police had been removed for refusing to baton-charge marchers. The Islamabad police chief had gone on leave and his request had nothing to do with any orders he was given, Chaudhry Nisar said.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014