Rana Sanaullah raises serious security concerns ahead of PTI’s rally in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD, Nov 25, (SABAH): Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan while addressing a press conference on Friday raised serious security concerns ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) today (Saturday’s) rally in Rawalpindi.
Earlier on Friday, the interior minister had chaired a special meeting ahead of the PTI’s long march toward the capital demanding early elections.
The minister had stressed that “it is the constitutional responsibility of the provincial governments to stop a political party from illegally treading onto the federal capital”.
“Chief secretaries should ensure that no government employee becomes part of any initiative or plan to attack the federation,” he had added.
Advising PTI Chairman Imran Khan to postpone the march while speaking to journalists, the minister said that “all the intelligence agencies have put a red alert for the long march in the city”.
“Your own life is also under threat,” he stressed as he addressed Imran Khan and hinted at a possible attack from banned militant outfits.
Elaborating on his comments the minister said that “all the Al Qaeda needs to do is find an agent who would be willing to carry out an attack. Do you think that would be something they find difficult to do?”
“There are those who are interested in causing anarchy and inducing conflict,” he added. “They want that we engage in in-fighting and kill each other. Is it not the perfect opportunity for such elements when a politician has himself named rivals in an FIR about his murder in his own lifetime so that the blame would automatically be shifted to them?”
Rana Sanaullah assured the conference that he has instructed the police and other law enforcing agencies to ensure strict security at all the entry and exit points of rally venue because of the red alert.
“I have spoken to the Punjab chief secretary and inspector general (IG) in detail to ensure that all four sides of the stage are safe and every attendee can only enter after a body search.
““The stage should be kept bulletproof at every cost,” he said while adding that access to the stage should be restricted because “if 200 people are standing atop it then who knows who did what”.
The minister also revealed that he has shared a letter with the party’s secretary general, Asad Umar, adding that if the PTI wished to verify the claims, it was welcome to “sit with the agency representatives and see for themselves”.
“We have told them after conducting all these meetings that these are the threats,” he added, saying that he has instructed the administrations to take full responsibility and maintain strict security regardless.
“We have permitted them to take whatever route they have requested,” he said, rejecting rumors that the capital was being blocked off with containers.
Nonetheless, he stressed that “the solution to his [Imran’s] problem is to return to parliament” as he maintained that the only way matters could progress is if all politicians come together to end the “deadlock”.
“There is no purpose for this long march now. You say that you are coming to Rawalpindi for an election date. Imran Khan, you won’t get a date for elections now,” said Rana Sanaullah.
Discouraging supporters from joining the rally, the minister said that this was not a call for “Haqeeqi Azadi but to create instability in the country”.
Claiming that Imran Khan cannot be successful by any means, Rana Sanaullah advised Imran Khan to come and sit with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership – Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Akthar Mengal, Khalid Magsi – Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz Sharif.
Rana Sanaullah further said, “If you [Imran] wants to meet with Nawaz and PM Shehbaz, hopefully they would not refuse to meet you. if you need any sort of help in this regard, I will be there for you to help as I am your – political – opponent, not enemy.
Rana Sanaullah also appealed to the nation not to participate in such gatherings which are aimed at spreading hatred and anarchy in the country.