ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has expressed anger over placement of containers blocking various roads in the capital and asked the city administration to immediately remove them.

He said citizens must not be inconvenienced and if containers are expected to be needed in the coming days to maintain security, they should be kept on roadsides for now.

The minister said it was unacceptable to block roads before time and create uncalled for hindrance in the intra-city movement.

The district administration and police started blocking different roads leading to the Constitution Avenue on Monday (November 24) as they prepare to stop protesters from entering the Red Zone, six days prior to the November 30 protest by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Theminister’s statement showed that the city will once again be sealed close to November 30.

The interior minister recently told a press conference that the government had no objection if PTI wants to stage a protest, but made it clear that the party will have to follow the law.

An official of the interior ministry told Dawn that the minister in his press conference had hinted that no protest in the Red Zone will be allowed this time. He said conditions agreed upon by the PTI and authorities during the ongoing sit-in had been blatantly violated.

He added that the National Assembly will be in session from Wednesday (today) and important cases are being heard at the Supreme Court. He said the government will be ready to allow the PTI to stage its political show at a place where it does not cause inconvenience for residents.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014