PTI declared on Wednesday that it would demonstrate outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) today. In response, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah threatened to take harsh action against anyone who attempted to enter the Red Zone.
The interior minister issued the warning while addressing a press conference flanked by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in the federal capital.
Two days ago, PTI Chairperson Imran Khan announced holding a peaceful protest outside of the ECP on Thursday, demanding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s resignation.
The interior minister stated that the coalition government has "received reports” and has discovered remarks of Khan and Fawad Chaudhry regarding their plans to create anarchy outside the election commission. "PTI intends to generate havoc in the name of the protest,” he added.
The Islamabad High Court has placed restrictions on holding protests in the Red Zone, he said, so the PTI should keep those constraints in mind when they attack the election commission.
There are some specific locations where the PTI can stage a "peaceful protest as it was everyone’s right in the democratic era,” he said, highlighting that protests are strictly prohibited in the Red Zone and that anyone caught trying to enter the area shouldn’t later complain about the results of their actions.
The interior minister emphasised that the government would not permit anyone to break the law or hold a protest in front of the ECP.
The H9 and F9 parks are permitted to host rallies in accordance with court orders, thus full protection will be offered to the demonstrators there.
