ISLAMABAD - As former prime minister Imran
Khan’s anti-government long march
entered into 5th day, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on Tuesday accused the opposition Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of hatching a onspiracy to derail the country’s democratic process.
The interior minister also
condemned the recent remarks
of Chairman PTI Imran Khan,
he gave during an interview,
in which he said: “Let martial
be imposed. Why am I being
threatened?” “The whole nation
and every political worker condemn this statement,” he said
while addressing a press conference here. He said that no political party as well as those parties representing the coalition
government would ever accept
any such unconstitutional step.
At the same time, the minister while referring to the ‘military establishment’ said that
those who could impose martial
law have now decided that they
as an institution would abide
by the Constitution and let the
country move forward through
democratic means.
Rana Sanaullah made it clear
that no talks at any level were
being held with PTI chief Khan.
“You can judge well from his
speeches. Whether he can speak
in such an uncivilized manner if
some talks are being held with
him?” He advised the PTI chairman to shun his “agenda of violence” and sit with the other
political forces of the country
and talk to them to find a better
solution to the present political
stalemate. “Pakistan needs unity and not anarchy.” But Khan
would have to apologize over
his past behaviour and “uncivilized” attitude before holding
negotiations, he added.
The interior minister accused
that the PTI was planning to attack Islamabad through armed
personnel. According to the information gathered from agencies, the party is gaining time by
delaying its already announced
schedule to reach Islamabad
only to arrange weapons and
personnel, he accused. He said
that law enforcement agencies
(LEAs) were ready to thwart any
such move and any armed group
would not be allowed to enter
the capital. He also warned the
chief executives, chief secretaries
and police chiefs of Punjab and
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take action against such elements. Otherwise, the Constitution and law
empower the federal LEAs to
take action against such armed
groups, who are either attempting or planning to attack the state
by raiding any place in the country, he stressed.
He went on to say that Prime
Minister Shehbaz Sharif had
earlier instructed that police
and all LEAs mandated to stop
the violent protestors into the
capital should only be provided with tear gas and rubber bullets. Now the situation is different after two consecutive
statements of senior PTI leader
Ali Amin Gandapur and provincial minister Kamran Bangash
that they would come to Islamabad with weapons. He said
that Gandapur even endorsed
the viral audio clip in which he
can purportedly be heard directing an unknown person to
arrange guns.
Rana Sanaullah said that even
PTI leader and former federal minister Faisal Vawda had
played a drama in a press conference by giving an impression
that he was violating the party policy. It was very within the
policy of PTI when Vawda said
that he was seeing bloodshed
and dead bodies through the
long march, he added. He said
that the purpose was to threaten the government to surrender
before demands of the PTI.