Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar on Thursday defended the government's decision to permit a Difaa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC) gathering in the capital despite imposition of Section 144 in the run-up to the Nov 2 'lockdown'.

The interior minister, addressing a police function in Islamabad, said the organisation sought approval from the administration and adhered to conditions specified by the administration before it was permitted to do so.

Section 144, which does not permit gatherings of more than four people at a time, was imposed in the capital days before the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's planned Nov 2 'lockdown' of Islamabad.

"The administration imposes Section 144 when it thinks there is a law and order threat. It can be withdrawn partially or wholly," he said.

"The DPC submitted a request to the administration and the administration told them 'you can call these people, and you can't call these people'," Nisar said.

"They adhered to it so they were allowed to hold an event," he said.

"The DPC is not a proscribed organisation," he added. "Members of the Jamaat-i-Islami, PML-Q and JUI-F are part of the DPC."

"They held a lot of large rallies during the PPP tenure," he said.