Govt green-lights PTI’s Jinnah Avenue rally

Nisar says strict action will be taken against those trying to enter Red Zone

ISLAMABAD:

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced on Friday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would be allowed to carry on with its November 30 Jinnah Avenue rally plan but cautioned its protesters against attempting to breach the high-security Red Zone.

At the same time, the interior minister spoke of grave security risks emanating from militants who have threatened to target the rally. “Intelligence reports suggest that militants can target not only the PTI’s rally but also parliament and many important buildings [and installations],” he said.



The minister claimed that both the Islamabad administration and the PTI have signed an agreement in connection with the rally. “According to the agreement, the venue of the jalsa will be the Parade Avenue up till the MCB Bank on Jinnah Avenue, excluding the service roads, and the stage will be set at the Parade Avenue and will face the Blue Area,” Nisar told reporters.

He said the venue for the rally is currently a construction site and cautioned that the organisers will be responsible for any human injury caused inside the venue.

“Last time, a man died after falling into a ditch but a case was registered against the prime minister, Punjab chief minister and many others. It will not happen this time around,” he said.

He said the rally will end at 11:59 pm on November 30 after which the stage will be dismantled. “The organisers shall take responsibility that participants do not move beyond the venue’s identified boundaries,” he said. Some clauses of the agreement

According to the agreement available with The Express Tribune, the organisers will face legal proceedings in case they violate the agreed terms and conditions and the NOC will automatically stand cancelled.



It is agreed that Constitution Avenue and the state buildings within the Red Zone will be secured with shipping containers. The agreement says that no one will be arrested for violating Section 144 without prior permission from the district magistrate or additional district magistrates.

It also states that firearms or weapons – including batons, sticks or any instrument that can cause bodily harm – will not be allowed into the venue and the organisers undertake to respect the competing fundamental rights of other stakeholders and public at large during the jalsa.

Among other conditions, it is also stated that the event shall conform to the cultural values of Pakistan.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Mujahid Sherdil said 42 clauses were included in the draft prepared for the issuance of NOC for holding a rally and “the PTI has ensured that the party will put the clauses into practice in true letter and spirit.”

“The last time everything was agreed upon on an application on a plain paper, which prevented the administration from taking action against the violators but this time around, PTI has been given permission only after it signed the affidavit,” he said.

Security arrangements and raids

Meanwhile, Islamabad’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Asmatullah Junejo said the administration has around 22,000 personnel of Rangers, Frontier Constabulary (FC) and Punjab and Azad Kashmir police and shipping containers have been be placed at 97 key points alongside the road. Despite that, not a single road has been blocked.

“There is no policy of placing containers at roads so far. The roads will remain open tomorrow, day after tomorrow and afterwards,” Junejo said. At present, government has asked us to strengthen security of the sit-in site besides making utmost efforts to ensure the Red Zone’s security, he added.

For the rest of the city, Mobile Response Units (MRU) comprising elite force, commandos, lady police officials, members of fire brigade team and anti-riots units have been established at five different points and anyone located near the threat call will respond to it, Junejo said.

Junejo revealed that the administration changed only one clause – anyone who wishes to stay or leave the sit-in site following the Jalsa will be allowed to do so – among the 42 points of the agreement. He said accepting the clause would be equal to sanctifying the Jalsa.

“The ending time of the Jalsa is 11:59 pm and in case of violation, strict action will be taken against the violators,” he added.

Responding to question about raids against the PTI workers, Junejo said the raids were a part of preventive measures.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2014.