Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to shun riotous agenda and sit with other political parties to reach political solution. He also condemned the Khan’s remarks of imposing martial law and saying that the enforcers have decided to abide by the Constitution.
Addressing a press conference today the interior minister referring to the audio leak purportedly featuring Ali Amin Gandapur and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Minister Kamran Bangash’s statement about “licensed arms”, the Interior Minister said that he would formally request the coalition government and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif that the personnel of law informant agencies deployed for stopping “armed groups’ intend to invade Islamabad should be given arms and ammunitions for “self-defence”.
“No talks were being held with PTI Chairman [Imran Khan] at any level or at any place,” the federal minister added. The interior minister further said that the forces should be armed to defend themselves from the goons of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The minister said that the government decided to equip the police and security personnel with only teargas shells and rubber bullets to deal with the long march. “The group or long march aimed at attacking Islamabad should be stopped,” he added. Berating PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Sanaullah claimed that Lahore has completely rejected the “fitna and fasad march (chaos creating march)”.
He maintained that the number of participants in the long march is not greater than 6,000-10,000.
The participants of the PTI’s long march belonged to a “certain segment” of society who have become victims of his delusion, he added. The interior minister accused Khan of spending the funds raised in the name of the poor on politics and contesting elections. “All of you will be caught when an inquiry into Ehsaas Program is launched,” he warned the PTI leadership.
Responding to a question, the interior minister said former PTI leader Faisal Vawda held the press conference in collusion with Khan. Taking a jibe at Khan, the interior minister remarked: “Just 10 minutes after saying that the salary of chowkidar should be stopped, you fall at the watchman’s feet.” Khan wanted to derail the country, he added.
The interior minister clarified that the KP and Punjab police would be under the supervision of the federal government if the situation turns worse. He said that unfortunately, a certain section has become a victim of former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan’s misguidance as he is a victim of madness and misguidance which started with few thousand people in the long march.
Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI chairman is using abusive language in his speeches during the march, adding that people won’t be betrayed by your madness.
