Interior minister slams ‘state within a state’ after being stopped from attending Nawaz hearing

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that “closed trials are a hallmark of martial laws” after he was barred from entering the judicial complex, where the National Accountability (NAB) court was hearing the case related to corruption references filed against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family.

He added that Nawaz’s supporters, legal aides and media should have been allowed inside the judicial complex.

Talking to media outside the NAB court, he said that he would choose to resign rather than be a “puppet minister” asserting, “state within the state would not be allowed and civil authority would be held supreme”.

Iqbal said that despite the fact that the Islamabad chief commissioner had chalked out a plan under which media and PML-N leaders had to be allowed entry into the court premises to ensure a transparent trial, a contingent of Rangers, who he said were under the control of the chief commissioner, suddenly appeared at the court premises and took over the control.

“This morning, however, the situation had changed and the Rangers had taken over security [of the judicial complex],” stated Iqbal, detailing that in the federal capital, the Rangers operate as per the instructions of the chief commissioner.

The minister complained that the Rangers appeared to have been working according to their own free will.

“The matter would be investigated and disciplinary action would be taken against whosoever is found responsible. I can’t be a puppet (interior) minister. Writ of the state would be maintained,” he asserted.

“I waited for the Rangers commander for 15 minutes, this is unacceptable, whosoever has done this, disciplinary action will be taken against him”, said Iqbal.

Later, Iqbal also lashed out at the assistant commissioner for the state of affairs, demanding in writing what had happened today. The minister said this is not a banana republic, it is a constitutional republic.

After Iqbal left, the Rangers’ brigadier came out to enquire what had happened. He also had a word with State Minister Daniyal Aziz. However, shortly after this, a number of media representatives and lawyers chanted “shame, shame”, following which the officer returned to the court complex.

When the hearing into corruption references against ousted PM Nawaz Sharif and his family began on Monday, media personnel and PML-N supporters were not allowed to enter the judicial complex.

Moreover, when the interior minister was prevented from entering the court premises, he ordered the Rangers’ commanding officer, a Brigadier-ranked officer, to come out and discuss the matter with him. However, the officer took his time to come out, which irked the minister.

Iqbal was accompanied by State Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry and others.