Pakistan calls on army to restore security in capital
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has called on the powerful military to deploy in the capital Islamabad after violence broke out Saturday when security forces attempted to disperse an hardliner sit-in, the interior ministry said.
The request was made by Islamabad Capital Territory authorities, according to an interior ministry order, which said the federal government had authorised the deployment of “sufficient troops” to “control law and order” in the city until further notice.
There was no immediate comment from military officials.
The order came after Pakistani police clashed violently with hardline religious protesters in Islamabad Saturday, leaving at least one person dead and more than 130 injured.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, accompanied by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is likely to visit Saudi Arabia next week for a bilateral meeting with the kingdom’s leadership.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar will be part of the delegation.
The visit will take place a day after the inauguration of Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) — a 41-nation coalition against terrorism — in Riyadh on Nov.26.
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman will open a meeting of the ministers of the Defence Council to mark the beginning of the activities. Abbasi’s visit is being linked to the inauguration of the coalition by many. The IMCTC has identiied core areas of its activities as “ideology, communications, and counterterrorism inancing and military.”
Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir will represent Pakistan in the meeting. Meanwhile, the foreign minister has briefed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on the evolving situation in the Middle East, its implications for Pakistan and Pak-iran ties at an in-camera session.
However, detailed discussion on these issues could not take place due to the lack of quorum after one of the members, Dr Shireen Mazari, walked out of the meeting in protest over the chair’s refusal to send the Ratiication of International Treaties Bill 2013 to the National Assembly.