Nisar wants foolproof security for PTI rally

Seeks guarantee that participants would peacefully disperse on given time

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday directed the Islamabad Capital Territory administration to make elaborate security arrangements and traffic plan for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) rally. He asked the administration to make sure that the routine life of citizens was not affected by the political demonstration in F-9 Park on April 24.

Security arrangements should be discussed with party management, he further said. No one would be allowed to enter the rally venue without passing through security checks, Nisar stressed.



On April 11, the minister had announced a strategy to maintain law and order in the capital during the political demonstration by PTI to mark its foundation day.

Under the strategy, the ministry was supposed to call 18,000 security personnel to handle any pressing situation regarding the maintenance of law and order in the city.

The contingents, called for deputation in the federal capital, include the Punjab Police, AJK Police, and troops from the Frontier Constabulary and Punjab Constabulary.

There had been a controversy regarding permission for the PTI to hold a rally at F-9 Park, as the interior minister had categorically refused to allow the party to hold a public gathering at the venue.

During a press conference on April 11, he had maintained that no public gathering would be allowed at D-Chowk or F-9 Park.

He was of the view that Fatima Jinnah Park was situated in the heart of federal capital and is a recreational facility for citizens which is not meant for political demonstration.

He had advised political parties to hold political gathering in some other city, rather than Islamabad.

However, on April 16, Nisar gave a green signal to the PTI to hold a political gathering at the venue. He also ordered the ICT administration to settle all matters in this context with the local party leadership. Moreover, the minister also ordered that no hurdle should be raised in convening the demonstration.



He did, however, set conditions for holding the demonstration and asked the ICT Administration to get a guarantee from the PTI leadership that the participants of the gathering would disperse peacefully at the given time.

Petitions dismissed

The Islamabad High Court on Friday dismissed three petitions requesting the court to direct respondents to change the venue for the PTI political gathering.

Justice Aamer Farooq dismissed petitions that requested the court to provide an alternative venue for the event. The petitioners argued that it would destroy the natural beauty of the park.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2016.