ISLAMABAD: Amid rising tensions between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the federal government, International Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday rejected PTI’s allegations about “straight firing” at civilians throughout its “do-or-die” protest in Islamabad, which was abruptly delay after crackdown.
Briefing members of the diplomatic corps on current state of affairs after PTI protest, Dar — who can be the deputy prime minister — stated that the federal government had proven restraint as legislation enforcement companies (LEAs) have been solely geared up with water cannons and tear fuel, not stay ammunition.
The previous ruling get together’s much-hyped protest in Islamabad, aimed toward securing PTI founder Imran Khan’s launch who has been behind bars for greater than a 12 months, culminated in PTI’s hasty retreat after the federal government’s midnight crackdown on the protesters.
The Imran Khan-founded get together has since claimed that a minimum of 12 of its employees have been killed and 1,000 have been arrested. Nonetheless, the federal government has categorically denied utilizing stay ammunition towards the protesters and stated that 4 legislation enforcers together with three Rangers personnel and policeman have been martyred throughout the protest.
Briefing the international diplomats, Dar stated that the police and Rangers have been deployed within the first two tiers, with the military because the third line of defence to guard the Diplomatic Enclave, Parliament Home and different vital buildings.
He additional stated that the federal government had enacted a brand new legislation “Peaceable Meeting and Public Order Act, 2024” that barred the protest demonstrations within the Crimson Zone and required permission from a Justice of the Peace for any public gatherings.
Explaining why the federal government resorted to sure actions towards the protestors, he stated the Islamabad Excessive Court docket (IHC) had barred the PTI from holding any protest gathering within the Crimson Zone space of the federal capital.
In pursuance of the court docket ruling, the federal government had tasked Inside Minister Mohsin Naqvi to have interaction with the get together however to no avail.
He stated the federal authorities at all times prioritised the Crimson Zone’s safety which housed Parliament Home, the Supreme Court docket of Pakistan, federal establishments and the diplomatic corps.
Dar knowledgeable the diplomats that PTI had chosen to carry a protest on November 24, which coincided with the deliberate go to of the Belarusian president.
He added that this was in line with the get together’s previous “malafide observe” of scheduling protests on important dates, such because the SCO summit earlier this 12 months and in 2014, when their protest led to the postponement of the Chinese language president’s go to.
He recalled that the Supreme Court docket had dismissed PTI’s claims of rigging in 35 Nationwide Meeting seats — the first cause behind the 2014 sit-in — but the get together by no means apologised, regardless of having dedicated to take action in a written settlement with the federal government.
Dar defined that PTI stubbornly tried to march into the Crimson Zone, regardless of the federal government’s provide of another protest web site in Sangjani. He emphasised that human rights shouldn’t be exercised in ways in which trigger lawlessness and endanger the lives and property of each Pakistanis and the diplomatic corps.
The international minister highlighted that the federal government had proven restraint, as LEAs have been solely geared up with water cannons and tear fuel, not stay ammunition.
Dar additionally questioned the legality of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities utilizing public sources to stage a march on the federal capital, asserting that no federating unit had the appropriate to take action.