Govt will fully facilitate PTI if their leadership decides to hold peaceful protest at the prescribed places: Rana Sanaullah
LAHORE, Sep 24 (SABAH): Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan says government will not allow anyone to take the law into his own hands.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, Rana Sanullah Khan said that courts have already determined the specific places for protest and government will fully facilitate Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf if their leadership decides to hold peaceful protest at the prescribed places.
Rana Sanaullah said that no one will be allowed to storm the federal capital. Rana Sanaullah said that heavy contingent of Police and Rangers is at disposal of the government but every effort will be made for careful use of force to minimalize losses.
The minister further said that government took tough decisions to steer the country out of the crisis due to which they failed to control rising inflation in the country.
The PML-N leader blamed Imran Khan for delay in resumption of IMF program and claimed that the coalition government sacrificed its politics for the sake of the country.
He added that narrative of Imran Khan holds no importance and that removing PTI government in Punjab is not a tough task and several options are available for achieving this.
Interior Minister further said that government economic team will be strengthened with return of former finance minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar. He also claimed that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan before elections.
Rana Sanaullah said Ishaq Dar would be able to help Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif manage the country’s economic affairs “better”.
As for PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return, Rana Sanaullah said he was the party leader and the PML-N could not impose any decision on him, but it had requested him to be present to lead the party’s election campaign next year.
“He has accepted this and … whenever elections happen, Nawaz Sharif will be back in Pakistan before that.”
Regarding reports of the government adopting a strict approach towards the PTI, the interior minister questioned the gathered media representatives that if a party said it was marching on to Islamabad then what other response it could be given. He said that if an “armed gang” came then it was obvious that law enforcement agencies would have to act and stop any such attempt.
“If he comes with the aim to protest, I am saying this on record, we will give them the place, give them security and even food. But if they want to trample over the state or head towards the Red Zone, then it is our constitutional responsibility to stop such people.”
He said that it would be the government’s attempt that “any power that used is done so carefully” to keep losses to a minimum.
The interior minister also assailed the PTI government’s economic performance and blamed it for the current issues in the country. He added that the results of the PTI’s tenure were now coming to the fore and “exposing” the party.