No Protests Will Be Allowed in Islamabad, Atta Tarar Warns PTI
- Information Minister Atta Tarar says the government will not permit protests anywhere in Islamabad.
- He rules out accepting political demands under pressure and says the law will apply equally to everyone.
- Tarar also advises Jamaat-e-Islami against protesting in the federal capital.
Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar has warned that the government will show no leniency towards participants in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned long march, insisting that demonstrations will not be allowed in Islamabad under any circumstances.
Speaking on Dunya News programme “Tonight with Samar Abbas,” Tarar said the government’s position on protests in the federal capital was unambiguous. He cited an existing court order and accused the PTI of staging violent demonstrations in the past.
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“The court order is clear, so protests will not be allowed anywhere in Islamabad,” the minister said. He added that the government would not accept any demands presented through political pressure.
Tarar said talks with opposition leaders were continuing but stressed that dialogue would not exempt anyone from complying with the law. He reiterated that the PTI would not be permitted to hold demonstrations in the capital.
Turning to the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the information minister said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the provincial government.
He criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister over the situation in Kohat and questioned how the provincial administration had handled security matters there.
Tarar also commented on the political positions of the PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami, describing the two parties as having fundamentally different approaches. He labelled the PTI’s politics “destructive” while characterising JI workers as peaceful, saying he did not expect the two parties to form an alliance.
The minister further alleged that the PTI had repeatedly refused to accept court rulings. He also advised Jamaat-e-Islami against staging a protest in Islamabad, warning that the law would take its course if any demonstration proceeded.
