MALE: Maldivian troops blockaded parliament and clashed with the opposition for a second day on Tuesday, witnesses said. Political turmoil has escalated in the troubled honeymoon islands over the past few days.

The latest turbulence came as the United Kingdom urged its citizens to take caution in the capital Male after soldiers tear-gassed the protesting politicians.

Soldiers barred the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) from entering the heavily-guarded parliament complex again on Tuesday, with witnesses reporting shoving as MPs were forced back from the barricade.

“Even when parliament is not in session, MPs are free to go to the building and attend to their work, but it is not allowed now,” MDP spokesman Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said. “This is ridiculous.”

Opposition was contemplating no-trust move against speaker

The parliament gates were padlocked by soldiers on Monday in a move described as illegal by exiled Maldivian opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed.

An opposition coalition, united against President Abdulla Yameen, had been threatening to move a no-confidence motion against the speaker in a bid to impeach the president’s ally.

But MPs trying to enter the compound were hit with pepper spray and forcibly evicted.

Yameen’s office said in a statement on Tuesday that parliament was closed ahead of an “incoming VVIP visit”, a reference to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who arrived in the country on Tuesday as the tropical island nation celebrates its 52nd anniversary, the Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka said.

“Special measures taken by the security forces at the parliament building on July 24 were to ensure security and safety of the premises, as mandated by the... constitution,” Yameen’s office said.

Residents said security in Male, a congested capital just two square kilometres in size, was tighter than usual.

The UK government urged its citizens to avoid large gatherings and protests following the disturbance around the parliament building.

“Previous demonstrations and political protests have led to violence and arrests,” the updated travel summary said.

Months of political upheaval in the Maldives has dented its image as a honeymoon paradise.

The United States and other nations have urged the Maldives to safeguard democracy amid a crackdown by President Yameen on his political opponents, most of whom are in exile or jail.

The opposition coalition, led by Nasheed, wants to defeat Yameen at elections next year, but is struggling with its leadership in tatters.

Earlier this month they secured enough support from the government defectors to begin impeachment proceedings against the speaker, hoping to weaken Yameen’s grip on parliament.

However, the parliament secretariat declared the impeachment motion was invalid, scheduling the next sitting on July 31.

The first attempt to impeach the speaker in March triggered chaos when troops acting on Yameen’s orders stormed parliament and removed the dissenting opponents by force.

Nasheed became the Maldives’ first democratically-elected president in 2008, but was narrowly defeated by Yameen in a controversial 2013 election run-off.

In 2015, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges that were widely seen as politically motivated. He now lives in exile in Britain.

Nawaz Sharif arrives in Male

Prime Minister Sharif arrived in Male on Tuesday on a three-day official visit.

The prime minister was warmly greeted by the president of the Maldives and the first lady at Male Velana International Airport.

The prime minster was accompanied by First Lady Kalsum Nawaz, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and high officials.

Earlier, Pakistan and Maldives signed a number of memorandums of understandings (MoUs) to bolster bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, education and tourism.

During the visit, the prime minister will also hold official talks with the Maldivian president.

A number of MoUs and agreements for cooperation in various fields will also be signed after the talks.

“Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with the Maldives which are characterised by cordiality, mutual respect and commonality of interests,” a Foreign Office statement said.

Diplomatic relations with the Maldives, established on July 26, 1966 had grown from strength to strength, it said. Both the countries closely coordinate with each other at regional and international fora on issues of mutual importance.

“The Pakistan-Maldives relationships are marked by close and warm sentiments between the people of the two countries. The visit of the prime minister will provide impetus to further strengthen our bilateral relations with the Maldives in all areas, including political, trade, economic, defence, tourism, education and people to people contacts,” the Foreign Office said.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2017