ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur should not compel the federal government to take extreme measures. The warning comes amid ongoing protest led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in Islamabad.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the Interior Minister said Gandapur and PTI workers were already crossing the lines, and if they crossed any further, then extreme measures may be taken.
“Gandapur and the PTI workers are already pushing boundaries, and if they continue, we may have no choice but to take extreme steps,” warned Naqvi. He referred to Gandapur’s refusal to step back from his plan to march on Islamabad despite the government’s security measures.
Meanwhile, around 30 PTI workers have been arrested in Islamabad after they defied Section-144, which had been imposed in the twin cities to ensure security ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Clashes between law enforcement officers and PTI protesters erupted throughout the capital on Saturday, with reports of tear gas being fired by police to disperse demonstrators. The PTI workers, many of whom attempted to forcefully enter Islamabad, retaliated by using slingshots to attack police personnel.
Interior Minister Naqvi said that blockades had been set up at various entry points, including Pathargarh, which the KP chief minister’s convoy crossed.
“Live bullets were fired at police by the protesters, and they continue to use tear gas against law enforcement,” Naqvi said, adding that approximately 80 to 85 police officials had sustained injuries.
The minister raised concerns about the origins of the teargas canisters being used by the demonstrators. “We are investigating how they managed to obtain such large quantities of tear gas,” he said. Naqvi also claimed to have evidence that protesters were instructed via social media groups to bring arms to the protest.
Naqvi held Gandapur personally responsible for orchestrating the violence and attempting to sabotage the SCO summit. “The KP chief minister is leading the group that plans to storm Islamabad. If this happens, there will be no room left for negotiation,” he warned.
Naqvi criticized the destruction caused by the protesters, accusing them of attacking private and public properties. “Even if I led a march into a city, I would have to understand the consequences,” he stated.
Naqvi said that Afghan nationals had participated in the PTI-led protests. “Last night, 41 Afghan nationals were arrested, and a total of 120 have been apprehended in the past 48 hours,” the minister said.
