PTI protest outside ECP won’t be allowed: Rana Sana

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Wednesday warned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of strict action if its activists tried to enter the Red Zone for a protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday (today).

The interior minister issued the warning while addressing a press conference along with Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in the federal capital. PTI Chairperson Imran Khan had announced holding a peaceful protest outside of the ECP on Thursday, demanding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s resignation.

“The PTI wants to spread chaos in the name of protest,” the interior minister said, revealing that the coalition government had “received reports” and had found statements of Khan and Fawad Chaudhry about their plans of creating an anarchic situation outside the election commission. He said that they [PTI] could attack the election commission; however, they should remember that the Islamabad High Court had imposed restrictions on staging protests in the Red Zone.

“Protests are strictly prohibited in the Red Zone and if someone tries to enter the area, they should not complain about the consequences of their actions later,” he said, highlighting that there were some selected venues where the PTI could stage a “peaceful protest” as it was everybody’s right in a democratic government.

According to the court orders, protests could be held in H9 and F9 parks, therefore, complete security would be provided to the protesters at the designated venues. Commenting on the ECP verdict in the PTI foreign funding case, Sanaullah said: “Following the announcement of the verdict, the party has been declared a foreign-aided party.”

“Khan took foreign funding and spread political anarchy in Pakistan,” he said, adding that the PTI chairman was spreading hatred in Pakistani politics. Regarding the cabinet meeting scheduled later this week, the interior minister said that some important decisions would be taken about the foreign agent.

“The ECP, in its verdict, highlighted various crimes committed by the PTI and also mentioned the anti-state and money laundering factors,” he said, adding the coalition government was reviewing the verdict to identify the involvement of other relevant sectors. The interior minister said that the decision on adding names to the Exit Control List (ECL) or arrests would be made accordingly.