Govt deploys paramilitary forces in Islamabad

Rashid warns Fazl against ‘dragging country towards anarchy’

ISLAMABAD:

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday said that special powers were being given to the Islamabad Police, Rangers, and Frontier Constabulary (FC) in the federal capital from March 20 to April 2.

Talking to media persons after a workshop on Anti-Human Trafficking organised by the United Nations, the minister said that law enforcement agencies are fully capable of dealing with any untoward situation.

He said that around 1,000 personnel of FC and Rangers have been summoned to Islamabad for performing security duty in the wake of the no-confidence motion added that if needed, more personnel would be deployed to ensure law and order.

Rashid said that the government would provide full security and protection to both rallies of March 25 and March 27. "Ensuring protection for lives and properties of the people is the responsibility of the Interior Ministry," he added.

The interior minister that said if the opposition wished to hold a rally on March 27, then they should meet Islamabad's deputy commissioner for devising its modalities. The administration would provide safe passage to the opposition rally, he added.

However, he reiterated that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands and violators would be dealt with an iron hand.

The minister said that Pakistan was facing international threats of terrorism, adding that maintaining peace and countering terrorism were not the only responsibility of the government but also the opposition.

Read Voting on no-trust motion to take place after March 27: Faisal Javed

Regarding the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said there would be no assembly session on March 27 due to the day being a Sunday.

He regretted that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was "dragging the country towards anarchy" cautioned the PDM chief that the "PPP (Pakistan People’s Party) and PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) would escape and you would be trapped".

He claimed that both of these parties had historically played together, and Fazl’s politics used to be similar, and only recently had he started playing the role of “Maula Jatt”.

Rashid questioned Fazl’s choice of words, given his status as a religious leader, telling him that he would be accountable if the country was dragged towards anarchy.

He also warned the opposition against pushing the country towards destabilisation through its no-confidence motion.

The interior minister questioned Fazl over the nature of his remarks, particularly that about “batons dipped in oil”.

Rashid said PM Imran Khan would become "stronger" after March 25, adding that Imran's popularity has increased manifold in recent weeks.

As per Rashid, the premier would be a winner in the no-trust vote. He added that regardless of the result of the no-confidence motion, PM Imran will be the sole beneficiary when this would be all over.

With additional input from APP