Govt urges Imran to postpone protest, return to parliament
Interior minister says the PTI chief should postpone the resumption of his long march to Islamabad from Rawalpindi, stating that there has been threats of atacks from militant groups
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that former prime minister Imran Khan should postpone the resumption of his protest march to Islamabad from Rawalpindi, stating that there had been threats of atacks from militant groups.
Imran has said he would resume his protest march on Nov.26 ater surviving an apparent assassination atempt earlier this month. Imran faces “danger” to his life, Sanaullah said. Sanaullah addressed a press conference soon ater Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif let for Turkey on a two-day official visit.
The interior minister said that there are the reports from the agencies that Imran life’s is under threat, adding that there is still time for the Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) chief to postpone his march. He claimed the march is being staged to create the situation of the political instability and economic catastrophe.
Sanaullah claimed that Imran will not get the date of elections from Rawalpindi, adding that the day – Nov.26 — was fixed for a specific reason for long march.
He added that the establishment will not play its role to give him [Imran] date for the elections. Claiming that Imran cannot be successful by any means, Sanaullah advised Imran to come and sit with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership — Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akthar Mengal, Khalid Magsi — Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for talks.
Suggesting the PTI chief to come back and be a part of the parliament, Sanaullah said that if he [Imran] is looking for the elections date, so it is beter for him to come and sit with the politicians as the decisions could change only when the politicians sit together.
The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Sanaullah to review the security situation amid the long march.
The meeting was atended by Minister of State for Interior Abdul Rehman Kanju, Federal Secretary Interior Yousuf Naseem Khokhar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Moazzam Jah, KP Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad Bangash, IG Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan, and others.
The participants of the meeting assured the interior ministry that they would support the Centre completely if PTI launches an atack on the federation.
The PTI will hold its protest, which is part of its long march in Rawalpindi-islamabad on Saturday with the capital administration refusing to give permission for any agitation in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army has formally informed the PTI that it has no objection to landing Imran’s helicopter at the Parade Ground in Islamabad in connection with the party’s Saturday’s rally in Rawalpindi.
However, the Islamabad administration has refused to give permission for the landing.
In a leter, the GHQ suggested the PTI to seek permission from the Islamabad administration as the Parade Ground falls under its jurisdiction.
PTI leader Ali Nawaz Awan has sought the federal government’s approval for the landing and departure of Imran’s helicopter at the Parade Ground.
Referring to the federal government’s alert, the PTI leader said that Imran’s life is in danger and the use of a helicopter was vital to ensure his safe participation in the party’s rally. There is no justification for creating hurdles in the landing of Imran’s helicopter at the Parade Ground ater the GHQ’S no-objection certificate (NOC), he said.
In the meantime, Sanaullah has said that they do not have any problem with Imran’s helicopter landing at the Parade Ground if the security institutions have no objection. “I have directed the Islamabad administration to decide the mater on merit.”
Senior PTI leaders keep insisting on holding their party’s largest-ever gathering at Faizabad on Nov.26, even if the government did not allow them to use the same venue for political activity.
Meanwhile, the PTI has started erecting tents and placing stopgap toilets in the Iqbal Park of Rawalpindi for its workers, who will atend its show.
At the same time, the Islamabad administration has placed dozens of shipping containers on key routes leading to Rawalpindi. It has also called nearly 20,000 law enforcers from other regions of Pakistan.