- Interior minister says container politics, weapons and infants not allowed in rally
- Imran Khan says protest democratic right of his party
The federal government on Thursday decided to conditionally allow the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold its rally on May 11 against alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said the PTI administration would receive the official approval. “We will, however, allocate a separate space in Islamabad for future protest rallies,” he added.
“A mere 100, 200 people can create havoc for the state by protesting at sensitive locations like the federal capital’s Red Zone.”
“Can any state compromise on the stability of its institutions?” questioned the minister, who hinted that some elements might try to disrupt law and order. He vowed to deal with any such attempt to derail democracy.
“I hope the whole episode comes to its logical conclusion with democratic norms succeeding in the end,” said Nisar.
He said weapons of any kind, not even sticks, would not be allowed in the rally.
The minister said that there would be a three-tier security for Islamabad and vehicles carrying weapons would be not allowed. Even fireworks will not be allowed at the rally, he added.
“Designated land routes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Murree would be advertised from tomorrow. No other routes would be allowed to the participants of the rally.”
“Container politics would not be allowed… no one can use containers except security agencies,” said the minister while referring to Allama Tahirul Qadri’s protest rally last year.
The scholar with thousands of his supporters took to the streets, demanding changes to Pakistan’s electoral system. Dr Qadri stayed in a climate-controlled container the whole time while protesters, women and children among them, were left out in the open to face the cold weather.
Nisar also said that men and women were allowed to protest, however, infants would not be allowed to enter the rally. “They might be used as human shields,” he explained.
“We will try to designate separate enclosures for women to avoid untoward incidents,” said the minister.
PROTESTS FOR STRONG DEMOCRACY:
Earlier speaking in the National Assembly, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that holding peaceful protests were democratic right of his party as they wanted to strengthen the democratic system in the country.
He said his party wanted a probe into four constituencies only so that the flaw in the electoral process could be pinpointed and removed.