People have rejected PTI’s protest call: Ahsan Iqbal

Iqbal states allowing such protests would be risky given group's role in creating instability in country

LAHORE:

Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has warned that permitting protests by groups involved in the May 9 unrest could be dangerous.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party secretariat in Lahore, Iqbal stated that allowing such protests would be risky given the group's role in creating instability in the country, Express News reported.

He emphasized that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was attempting to destabilize the country and hinder economic recovery by inciting chaos.

The federal minister pointed out that while the government had been lenient towards PTI's protests in the past, it resulted in incidents like those witnessed on May 9.

Iqbal added that after the events of May 9, it would be imprudent to expect anything positive from the PTI leadership.

He expressed hope that the protest planned for today would fail, and the situation would stabilize.

He also clarified that the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan had not been carried out by the government and that his release demands were not within the government’s jurisdiction, as his cases were pending in the courts.

The minister further questioned PTI's calls for negotiations with the military establishment, recalling that Imran Khan had come to power in 2014 with establishment support and later worked alongside them during the 2018 elections, including the controversial RTS system.

In response to PTI's planned march and protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad, authorities have taken significant security measures.

Major highways and motorways, including routes from Lahore and Peshawar to Islamabad, have been closed, and police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in key areas to prevent unrest.

Additionally, authorities claim to have arrested over 300 PTI workers in Islamabad ahead of the planned protest.

Islamabad's internal roads have also been blocked, and digging operations on the Murree Road have been carried out to prevent access to the capital.

Authorities in Rawalpindi have also reportedly begun detaining PTI supporters in anticipation of further unrest.

Previously, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari had also issued a stern warning to PTI ahead of planned anti-government protests on 24 November, stating that the government will act against the demonstrators as it does with terrorists.

Speaking outside the Lahore High Court, Azma criticised those planning the protests, alleging they are waging "jihad against the state." She said, “They may have plans A and B, but the state has the full A to Z to counter them.”

Azma also accused Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of misusing public funds, claiming that over Rs8.1 million were spent on a rally in Islamabad, money she argued should have been allocated to public welfare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The protests, planned for 24 November, have sparked concerns of potential unrest. The Punjab government has vowed to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order.