ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) — Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to reconsider its planned Sept. 27 protest and march towards Islamabad, saying the government would fully implement an Islamabad High Court order restricting disruption of public movement.
Speaking at a press briefing, Naqvi said there was still time for PTI to change its course and avoid a confrontation. He said the government would not leave “any loopholes” in its response if the party proceeded with the protest.
Read also: Aleema Khan detained under 3-MPO in Lahore ahead of PTI march
The interior minister said the government would implement the IHC order if PTI went ahead with the march. The court has ruled that political parties and their leadership do not have a lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas or government buildings in Islamabad. (Dawn)
Naqvi also said the government intended to develop what he described as a permanent solution to repeated protest disruptions, adding that the country could not remain shut for extended periods because of political demonstrations. (The News Pakistan)
The minister further claimed that a majority of PTI’s leadership was not in favour of the planned march. PTI has nevertheless been preparing for a nationwide protest and march towards Islamabad to demand the release of its incarcerated founder, Imran Khan. (Dawn)
Regarding Imran Khan’s medical treatment, Naqvi said doctors had examined the former prime minister and that any treatment required under the law would be provided. He said the government would act according to legal procedures rather than solely on the basis of political demands.
Naqvi also said the federal government was considering available legal options concerning the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the prime minister to make decisions in consultation with the law ministry.
The government’s warnings come amid heightened preparations for the Sept. 27 protest. Authorities have been making security arrangements in Islamabad, while reports of detentions of PTI activists have emerged from different parts of Punjab. In Sahiwal, officials said dozens of PTI workers and office-bearers had been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order law in connection with preparations for the protest.
The government has separately said it will not allow protesters to block roads or disrupt movement in the capital. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has warned that prolonged strikes, sit-ins, marches and road closures could impose significant economic costs.
PTI’s planned mobilisation is expected to keep political tensions elevated ahead of Sept. 27, with both sides publicly maintaining their respective positions on the proposed march.
