Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday, said the federal government was fully geared up to address any protest or march towards Islamabad and would act to ensure law and order.
Naqvi, addressing the reporters in Islamabad, cited the Islamabad High Court’s elaborate verdict on the planned protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and said government would abide by the High Court’s instructions.
Provincial governments were also ready to address the situation and if there was a breakdown in law order, the authorities would not tolerate it,” the minister said. He told the political leaders to take into account the current situation before demonstrating and stated that PM Shehbaz Sharif had repeatedly extended his offer for dialogue.
The remarks were in the wake of the Islamabad High Court giving a detailed verdict in a 37-page judgment over a plan to hold a PTI walk towards Islamabad on September 27. While political parties have the right to assemble peacefully, that right is subject to the law and must be upheld without violating fundamental rights of others, the court said.
Naqvi says routes can be closed if protesters come into Islamabad
Naqvi said that personally he was not in favour of putting containers on the roads, but that authorities may be compelled to close roads if protesters were to try to enter the capital.
He said that efforts would be made to minimise inconvenience to the residents of Islamabad. The minister also observed that there was shortage of manpower in Islamabad Police and it would need support from other law-enforcement agencies to secure the capital if needed.
The Islamabad High Court in a detailed order said no political party or leader has a legal right to obstruct roads, highways or public places in such a manner so as to deny access of hospitals, educational institutions, work places and other public services to the citizens. The court also ordered provincial governments to refrain from using official machinery, public resources for the proposed march.
The judgment also said that any activities which have impact on citizens’ fundamental rights might be an invasion of the Constitution and legal consequences may be implemented for the perpetrators. It also included discussion on the roles of public officials and the use of public resources as it pertains to political protest.
Naqvi also urged the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to give special attention to the law and order situation in the province in the context of the prevailing security situation.
The court’s directives and developments in the coming days will continue to control the planned September 27 protest as well as the government’s response.
