Red Zone to be cleared of protesters today: Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced on Tuesday that the government will clear the Red Zone of protesters today (Wednesday) “at all costs” if they didn’t disperse during the night.

“The government, however, wants them to vacate the D-Chowk peacefully and without hurting any person,” the minister said. “Dead bodies will not be provided to people for political gains.”

Addressing a hurriedly-called news conference at the Punjab House on Tuesday night, the minister said if the protesters didn’t disperse in the next one hour, then an operation will be launched today (Wednesday) in daylight to vacate the D-Chowk in the presence of the media. He warned that if negotiations with the protesters did not succeed in the next one hour, the D-Chowk in the Red Zone will be vacated at all costs with the help of unarmed police.

“The government is not negotiating with anyone. Only the administration is holding talks with some Ulema who have come all the way from Karachi,” he said. The minister said 7,000 unarmed policemen stood alert at the D-Chowk, adding that despite the criticism, the government continues to stick to the policy of non-violence. “It is my utmost effort to stop anyone from being hurt.”

Nisar said guarantees had been given to the Punjab administration that the crowd would disperse after the Chehlum. However, some elements tried to do politics under the garb of the Chehlum.

The Islamabad district administration had issued a two-hour notice to the protesters gathered outside the Parliament House to disperse. The legal notice was issued to the religious leaders gathered at the D-Chowk by the district magistrate. It accused them of attempting “to frustrate the government’s drive against terrorism”.

“An operation will be conducted if the participants of Dharna (sit-in) do not disperse in a few hours,” a security official said.However, reports on theconducted if the participants of Dharna (sit-in) do not disperse in a few hours,” a security official said.

However, reports on the local media indicate last-minute negotiations are underway between the government representatives and leaders of religious parties to reach an amicable solution. Army troops are already standing guard at government buildings near the protest site.

The minister said those who damaged the public property will be tracked down and arrested with the help of CCTV footages. The minister admitted that the crowd was too big for the available security to handle and as a result the mob caused damage to public property.

Commenting on the attack on Junaid Jamshed, he said record in this regard has been summoned from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to ascertain the identity of the people responsible for this. He said a large number of people who led the march on the Parliament have been arrested and details in this regard will be shared with the media later.