Article 245 implemented, 350 soldiers to be deputed in Islamabad
Army will have powers to search any place without warrant. Dunya News receives copy of notification.
ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – Notification to implement Article 245 was issued on 24th of July, 2014. Dunya News has received the copy of the notification. According to the text of the notification, Chief Commissioner Islamabad had requested the federal government to requisite Army for Islamabad’s security.
350 soldiers will be deployed in the federal capital according to this notification. Army will be given powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. Army personnel will have the powers equal to a Police Officer. Army officer will have the authority to take action after issuing one warning, in accordance with the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997. Army will also have the powers to search any building without search warrant.
Article 245 was imposed in by the Federal government on 24th of July and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had announced it through a press conference. The imposition of the article was brought under heavy criticism by the opposition parties.
Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon said yesterday (Saturday) that the government was trying to create tensions between the political parties of the country and the Armed Forces of Pakistan while Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah said that he government was trying to hide behind ‘another institution’.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) also held a meeting of its core committee and it was decided in the meeting that the imposition of Article 245 will be challenged in the Supreme Court. PTI also alleged the government of taking these measures in order to create hurdles for its ‘Azadi March’ that is scheduled for 14th of August, 2014.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the Interior Minister, responded to all the allegations today (Sunday) through a press conference. He said that the Army is being called only for assisting the civil authority on the request of the civil authority. He denied the allegations saying that Article 245 had only been invoked in order to give a legal cover to the presence of Armed Forces in the twin cities and the arrangement had nothing to do with PTI’s march. He criticized the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for alleging the government of trying to create rifts between the Army and the political parties. He said that PPP invoked this article several times during their tenure and actually invoked the Article 245 during the Lawyers’ Long March in March 2009. He said that unlike PPP government, the current government did not plan to use Pakistan Army for political motives.
