PTI govt decides to ban JUI-F' s Ansarul Islam 'militia'

Interior ministry forwards summary to law ministry, ECP

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to ban Ansarul Islam - a subordinate organisation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) – ahead of the party’s anti-government Azadi march.

Sources said a summary seeking ban on Ansarul Islam has been forwarded to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The summary has been forwarded by the interior ministry.

The summary says Ansarul Islam is a "lath bardar" (stick wielding) subordinate outfit of the JUI-F and the law does not allow any type of “armed militia”.

It is mentioned in the summary sent to respective departments that the organisation is also registered with the ECP under Clause 26 of the manifesto.  Last week, Ansarul Islam presented a guard of honour to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Peshawar.

It is pertinent to mention here that 3,000 volunteers of Ansarul Islam are registered with the ECP. Their job is to provide security to the top leadership of the JUI-F and maintain discipline.

‘Stick-wielding, wearing uniforms violation of NAP’, K-P minister warns Maulana Fazl

These volunteers belong to seminaries running under the JUI-F.

The law enforcers have also started devising their strategy to deal with the Azadi march of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with police department vowing to block any congregation or mob from entering the twin cities.

Maulana Fazl will march on Islamabad on October 31 to “topple the PTI government”, accusing it of coming into power through rigged elections. All major opposition parties including PML-N, PPP, ANP and PkMAP have already announced their support for the march.

Officials of Islamabad and Rawalpindi police departments devised a joint-strategy to counter the protest demonstration after visiting various areas of the two cities, including Faizabad interchange on Saturday, said a statement issued by Islamabad police spokesperson.

Islamabad IGP Amir Zulfiqar reiterated that no person or mob would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and block any road. Nobody would be allowed to usurp freedom of the citizens, he added.

Rawalpindi RPO Ahsan Tufail and CPO Faisal Rana were also present.

IGP Zulfiqar said those taking the law into their own hands in the name of protest would be arrested immediately, adding that no group or mob would be allowed to enter the twin cities. “Rule of law will prevail on every inch of the twin cities,” he added.

The standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Ministry of Interior would be fully implemented to tackle the Azadi march, he maintained.

Islamabad police have already placed a ban on providing catering, sound system and tent services to the protesters while hotels, motels and guest houses have also been prohibited from offering them accommodation.