Govt ready to facilitate PTI’s ‘peaceful’ rally in Islamabad

Published November 19, 2014
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan speaks to the media in Islamabad on Wednesday. – INP
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan speaks to the media in Islamabad on Wednesday. – INP

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally scheduled for November 30 in the federal capital, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Wednesday said that government will not create any hurdle in holding a ‘peaceful political gathering’.

Speaking to media representatives at Punjab House here, he, however, added that the organisers will have to follow the procedure and get permission from the local administration about the site and other conditions.

Chaudhry Nisar said that no one would be allowed to take the law into his own hands.

“The government and the administration will deal with iron hands if somebody tried to violate the law,” said the interior minister, adding that nobody would be allowed to create a law and order situation in the federal capital.

He said that Army troops, deployed earlier to protect sensitive installations and state buildings in Islamabad, can be called back in if the need arises.

The security of the capital city’s “Red-Zone” had been handed over to the Pakistan Army following a call to stage anti-government sit-ins at the Constitution Avenue by the PTI and Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) earlier in August.

Nisar said law enforcement agencies were ready to handle ‘any situation’. He said the PTI leadership would have to clarify their agenda before November 30 that “whether they want to hold a political gathering or to attack the federal capital”.

He warned the PTI leadership against not fulfilling the condition, saying the law would take its course otherwise.

The minister, in response to a question, said the government did not get in the way of the ongoing sit-in by PTI at Parade Avenue, which he added does not now holds more than 30 to 40 people on a daily basis.

Speaking about JIT formed to probe into the Model Town tragedy, he said the investigative team will address all reservations shown by the PAT. He added that the federal government has contacted the PAT leadership in this regard.

It may be mentioned that PAT chief Tahirul Qadri is arriving back in the country on Thursday and has already shown distrust on the JIT formed to investigate into the incident. Qadri along with the PTI chief have already been declared absconders in the case pertaining to an attack on PTV headquarters and the Parliament.

Chaudhry Nisar, during today's news briefing said that Imran khan was writing a ‘new constitution’ daily on the container and maligning all segments of the society including journalists.

He said that now the people will have to decide whether they want to formulate governments under the Constitution of Pakistan or that of given by Khan.

Meanwhile addressing participants of his ongoing sit-in, PTI chief Khan said that the party did not need any government certificate to hold the November 30 rally in Islamabad. He added that staging protest rallies was his party’s democratic right.

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