Govt warns PTI towards bringing ‘armed teams’ to Islamabad



Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. — Facebook@khawajaAsifofficial/file
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. — Fb@khawajaAsifofficial/file

Hours earlier than the PTI’s much-hyped “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned the previous ruling celebration towards bringing “armed teams” to Islamabad.

His remarks got here amid the looming showdown as the federal government all set to thwart any try and enter the federal capital by the protesters and the PTI remained resolute in its plan for the November 24 protest. 

Speaking to journalists, the defence minister mentioned: “In the event that they [PTI] are bringing armed teams [to invade the federal capital], the federal government would deal them in the identical approach.” 

He revealed that almost all of PTI leaders needed the previous ruling celebration’s deliberate demonstration in Islamabad to be cancelled.

The defence minister mentioned: “I can identify these PTI leaders who needed the sit-in to be cancelled.”

The federal government has devised its motion plan in reference to the November 24 protests by the previous ruling celebration, he added.

The minister warned the PTI management towards bringing armed teams to the federal capital.

“In the event that they [PTI] are bringing armed teams [to invade the federal capital], the federal government would deal them in the identical approach,” he warned.

Taking a dig on the PTI management, Asif mentioned that “they need to do politics on useless our bodies”.

“They [PTI] needed to take useless our bodies to KP and make it a difficulty and the federal government desires to keep away from it.”

He warned the PTI that they need to not take it as the federal government’s weak point.

Earlier within the day, Inside Minister Mohsin Naqvi knowledgeable PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan that no gathering, sit-in or protest could be allowed within the metropolis within the gentle of Islamabad Excessive Court docket’s (IHC) order.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi looks on during a meeting. — AFP/File
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi appears to be like on throughout a gathering. — AFP/File

The minister mentioned intimately the continuing political state of affairs within the wake of PTI’s protest name for tomorrow in a telephonic dialog with Gohar.

“We’re sure to comply with the IHC’s orders, can’t enable any rally, gathering or sit-in,” the safety czar advised the PTI chairman.

The Islamabad Excessive Court docket on Thursday directed the authorities involved to not enable the previous ruling celebration to carry its protest within the federal capital, in adherence to the newly enacted peaceable meeting regulation.

The Peaceable Meeting and Public Order Act, 2024 empowers the district Justice of the Peace to manage and ban public assemblies within the federal capital, proposing a punishment of as much as three years or/and an unspecified high-quality to the members of an “illegal meeting”.

In right now’s dialog, Naqvi advised Gohar {that a} high-level delegation from Belarus is ready to reach in Pakistan on November 24, whereas the Belarusian president will attain on November 25 for an official go to. The international delegation will keep within the federal capital until November 27.

Insiders mentioned that the PTI chairman, after the assembly, requested the minister for time to have a session with the celebration on this regard.

“I’ll replace you with the ultimate resolution after session,” he mentioned whereas talking to Naqvi.

In the meantime, PTI’s political committee final night time deliberated on the problems of cancelling tomorrow’s protest march, retaining the IHC orders in view.

In accordance with some PTI leaders, who had been a part of the final night time deliberations, majority of the committee members had been in favour of calling off the November 24 protest march, in accordance with The Information report.

They had been of the view that dialogue with the federal government ought to be given an opportunity. It was determined by the PTI’s political committee to current this selection of cancelling the protest name and giving dialogue an opportunity to the jailed celebration’s founder Imran Khan for a call.