Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
The federal government has decided to deploy troops in Islamabad in aid of civil administration to thwart any possible attempt by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers to storm the federal capital.
The decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to evolve a strategy to tackle the march by the PTI.
It was also decided in the meeting that adequate security measures would be taken to keep the protesters/marches off the Red Zone—a highly sensitive area where the President House, the PM Office, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Pakistan TV, Federal Secretariat, the Diplomatic Enclave and other state buildings are located.
Since his ouster from the Prime Minister’s House early this year, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has been conducting protest demonstrations against what he calls an ‘imported’ government. Recently, he has upped the ante in a bid to stop Shehbaz Sharif from appointing the new Army Chief of the country.
Imran Khan has publicly pledged to oppose any name decided by the Prime Minister as in his views, it is not Shehbaz Sharif who is going to make the final decision, it is, in fact his elder brother and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who will choose the name and that too in consultation with former President and Co-Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari.
In order to bring the government on its knees, Imran Khan has announced to lead a “Haqeeqi Azaadi” or Real Freedom March towards Islamabad and according to the party’s senior leaders it is now a matter of days when “multitudes of the PTI workers would be marching towards the federal capital.
The PTI leader in order to make sure his workers and supporters will participate in the proposed march participated in an oath-taking ceremony held at the Chief Minister’s House of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Former Governor KP, Shah Farman administered the oath. Speaking on the occasion, Imran Khan asked his party workers to wait for his final call for the ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ on Islamabad. He, however, stopped short of announcing a date of the march and said the day is not far.
