ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Federal Minister for Information Atta Tarar has said that the government’s policy on protests is clear and that demonstrations will not be allowed in Islamabad under any circumstances.
Speaking on the Dunya News programme ‘Tonight with Samar Abbas’, Tarar said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had previously held what he described as violent protests, adding that a court order had also been issued regarding demonstrations.
“The court order is clear, so protests will not be allowed anywhere in Islamabad,” Tarar said. He added that the government would show no leniency over the issue and that no demands would be accepted under pressure.
The federal minister said that meetings with opposition leaders were continuing, but maintained that the law would apply equally to everyone.
He reiterated that PTI protests would not be permitted in the federal capital.
Commenting on the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Tarar said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the provincial government.
He criticised the chief minister over the situation in Kohat and questioned the provincial government’s handling of security matters.
Discussing the political positions of the PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Tarar described the PTI as “destructive” while saying that JI workers were peaceful.
He argued that the two parties had fundamentally different political approaches and said he did not expect them to form an alliance.
Tarar further alleged that the PTI had repeatedly failed to accept court decisions. He also advised Jamaat-e-Islami against holding a protest in Islamabad, saying that the law would take its course if demonstrations were held.