Naqvi warns PTI against Islamabad protests

ISLAMABAD:

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a stern warning to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday against its planned D-Chowk rallies on Friday and Saturday, saying that Rangers and Army were called out and the protesters must think 10 times before coming to the federal capital.

Addressing a press conference, the minister conveyed a blunt message to the PTI, saying that no one should complain if they were "dealt with in a certain manner – unsympathetically". He stressed the police were fully prepared to deal with anyone coming to Islamabad.

The interior minister said that additional contingent of Rangers, Frontier Corps (FC) had already been called for Friday, he added that army had also been called out for Saturday, keeping in view the protest calls for that day.

"Rangers and Army have been called. Those who try to attack Islamabad will not be shown any leniency. Think 10 times before coming out to protest," the minister stated. He urged the PTI review the protest call, stressing that protest during the visit of a foreign dignitary would be highly inappropriate.

While calling Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur as a sensible and patriotic person, he said that it did not suit a provincial chief minister to protest on that day. He said that there would be no compromise on ensuring the security during the visits of foreign dignitaries.

Naqvi admitted that holding protest was the PTI's right but appealed that it shouldn't be held in the next fortnight. He underscored the sensitivity of the situation. "The PTI is a party of Pakistan, not a foreign entity. But planning a rally during the visit of a head of state is inappropriate," he said.

Naqvi emphasised the need for appropriate timing of the protest, saying that everyone had the right to engage in politics but not when the head of a foreign state was visiting Pakistan. He said that security arrangements were non-negotiable.

He reminded the public that Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was already in effect, and designated areas had been demarcated for rallies. "The PTI can hold the rally but … any attempt to breach security during such a sensitive time will not be tolerated."

Naqvi also questioned the motive behind scheduling the protest during the visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He said that Pakistan's image could suffer internationally, if any incident occurred. He reiterated that no protest could be allowed at the cost of country's repute.

He said that different high-profile delegations, including Chinese and Saudi Arabia, were coming in the coming days and weeks; while the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit was also scheduled. "Strict security arrangements will be ensured [for these events]," he added.

Naqvi said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had also asked the PTI to delay its protest until the SCO conference. "A major conference like the SCO is taking place after many years. Its success will be fruitful for all," he said stressing that "we all should think as a Pakistani first and then as a political worker or anything else".

Following the general elections, PTI has slowly and gradually build the momentum to hold rallies in different cities. Initially, it wasn't successful in holding a rally outside its stronghold of K-P, but that changed when it managed to hold its first rally outside K-P on September 8.

The second attempt was made to hold a rally in Rawalpindi but it plunged into chaos as the twin cities were locked down with containers and with the deployment of heavy contingents of forces to disperse the PTI leaders, workers and supporters.

Subsequently, the PTI leadership once again gave the call for a rally against what it called the "illegal" imprisonment of the party founder Imran Khan and the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) delay in implementing the Supreme Court's verdict on reserved seats, among other things.

The party claimed that the rallies were being taken out to "save the Constitution" and uphold the rule of law in the country. Nevertheless, the protests had repeatedly led to clashes between the PTI workers and law-enforcement personnel.

The city administration concerned not only ensured strict security measures ahead of each event but often imposes Section 144 CrPC and took actions under the newly-passed law dealing with peaceful assembly.

Despite the warnings, the K-P chief minister and other PTI lawmakers reportedly vowed to attend Friday's rally "at all costs," promising to reach Islamabad even if it took several days. They said that their movement would remain peaceful but warned of a strong response if stopped or confronted by force.

At the press conference, the Islamabad police chief said that several people reportedly belonging to the PTI had already been arrested from different areas and slingshots, sticks [nail bats], among other things were seized from their possession.