Operation conducted by admin on court orders: minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal said on Sunday that the operation against the protesters at Faizabad was not conducted on his orders.

He said he wanted to resolve the matter through talks. The administration conducted the operation on the instruction of the court. He said the government wanted an early resolution of the issue being raised by the protesters holding the sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange.

He said there were reports of death of six persons. All the deaths occurred due to attacks on houses and not during the operation, he added. Those found responsible for amending the clause pertaining to the Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (SAW) as per the report of the investigation committee headed by Raja Zafarul Haq would be punished, he said while talking to a private channel.

The minister said that he was personally not in favour of the operation against the sit-in protesters. However, the local administration had taken action to clear the Faizabad Interchange as per the court orders.

To a question, Ahsan Iqbal said the Director General of Rangers had been given the responsibility to look after the security matters of the twin cities while the government would hold talks with protesters. "We have been making all-out efforts to resolve the matter with the protesters through dialogue," he said.

"We had also sought the assistance of Ulema and religious scholars. We all are the Muslims and strongly believe in Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (SAW)," he said. To another question, he denied giving any statement regarding Indian support to protesters. He urged the media to play a positive role and avoid publishing or airing news without verification.

It was the responsibility of everyone, including political parties, to help defuse the tension, he said. Commenting on the mob attacks, Ahsan Iqbal alleged that the local leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had also incited the people of Narowal to attack his house. The government, he added, condemned all types of violence. He appealed to the nation to celebrate the month of Rabiul Awwal with peace, tranquility and religious fervour. He stressed the need for creating harmony among the people belonging to all segments of society. Replying to a question regarding disruption of social media, he said it was being misused by some people.

To another query, Ahsan Iqbal said the bill containing amendment regarding the finality of the Prophethood (SAW) was finalised by a committee, including representatives of all the parliamentary parties, and was tabled in parliament by the law minister, who had no other role. --APP

PR adds: Meanwhile, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that not a single person was injured outside his house during an attack by some protesters, what to talk of any death. In a statement issued here on Sunday, he said the incumbent interior minister, Ahsan Iqbal, must avoid giving such statements to hide his 'incompetence'. He said this is the same person who had claimed that he could clear ‘dharna’ at the Faizabad Interchange in just three hours. “And now he is shifting the entire responsibility of the operation against the sit-in people to the court,” Ch Nisar added.

He was referring to a statement by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal that the Islamabad operation was carried out by the administration on the orders of the court. He said it was a pity that the country’s interior minister was so ignorant and so irresponsible that he did not know about the operation against the sit-in people. He said his position as the interior minister required of him to stand with his administration instead of making lame excuses on the operation.

In a statement, the spokesman of Chaudhry Nisar clarified the news which was circulating on social media that Nisar was shifted to Islamabad from his home to a safer place in an armoured vehicle due to intense protest. He said that Nisar had been already residing in Islamabad for the last one week due to traffic and transport problems.