Sanaullah warns PTI against holding protest in Red Zone

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan on Wednesday warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) of consequences for its planned protest in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office located in the Federal Capital’s Red Zone.
“No body will be allowed to hold a protest in the Red Zone and action will be taken as per law if anyone tries to enter the area forcefully,” he said while addressing a news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. The minister asked the PTI to better stage its so-called protest either in H-9 area or F-9 Park in line with the directives of the higher judiciary.
“Every political party has right to hold a protest in a peaceful manner,” he added. The government would facilitate and provide full security to the PTI workers if they held their protest at the designated places, he assured. Rana Sana claimed that they had the reports of a possible attack on the ECP by the PTI workers, who had the intention to hold a violent protest in the Red Zone.
The minister said the ECP verdict in the prohibited funding case had proved that the PTI was a foreign-aided party and “foreign agent”. The party received funds from both foreign nationals and foreign companies, and used the same not only to create anarchy and chaos in the country but also vitiated the political environment by promoting hatred in the society, he alleged. Replying to a question, Rana Sana said the government was reviewing the ECP decision, and action would be taken as per the law and constitution. To another question, he said the PTI had been fully trapped in the foreign funding case and the government would fulfill its constitutional obligations.
As regards Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan, he said the the PML-N Quaid would himself take a decision in that regard. To a query, he said maintenance of law and order during Muharram was the prime responsibility of the provincial governments in their respective provinces. However, the federal government would provide full support to them as per their requirement, he added.
Tarar seeks Imran’s clarification on ‘prohibited funding’ from India, Israel: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Ataullah Tarar on Wednesday sought Imran Khan’s clarification on the “prohibited funding” received by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the enemy countries, including India and Israel.
“The Jewish and Indians have funded the PTI for pursuing their interests after coming into the power,” the SAPM alleged while citing Romita Shetty, an American businesswoman of Indian origin, as a donor of the PTI. Addressing a news conference, he said Imran Khan should explain the nature of his relations with foreign nationals, including Inder Dosanjh, Viral Lal, Michael Lane, Chiranjit Singh, Varsha Lathra, and others, who had sent funds to his party from abroad.
Tarar accused Imran of trading off Kashmir in exchange of foreign funding from the enemy countries. He alleged that the PTI chief held meetings with the country’s enemies on the sideline of his visit to the United States. Soon after Imran Khan’s visit to the US, he claimed that India took the unilateral step of abrogating Article 370 of its constitution, depriving the Kashmiris from the special status. “The details of Imran Khan’s visit to the US should be made public,” he added. Tarar said the prohibited funding case was not as simple as it appeared, and it should be probed further to punish the “culprits”. He said the PTI wanted further delay in the ECP’s decision as its leaders had approached the courts many a time to seek stay on the commission’s proceedings.
Tarar lambasted PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry for saying that the ECP had announced the verdict in haste. It took ECP eight years to announce the decision which highlighted complete details of the PTI’s illegal funding, he said.
The double standards of PTI’s leadership had been exposed as it was proved now that it was a foreign funded party, he added. The SAPM said the law would take its course and under the Political Parties Order, the PTI might be dissolved. Imran would have to face the consequences for flouting the law, he maintained.
Tarar demanded of the PTI chief to resign as the party head. Being a public office holder, he said, Imran hid the facts and submitted ‘fake declarations’ before the electoral watchdog. “There should be no double standard for justice. Law should be equal for all,” he remarked. He praised the ECP for announcing a balanced judgment despite the threats hurled by the PTI’s leadership. The ECP judgment had had positive impacts on the country’s economy as the rupee had appreciated against the US dollar.
He said the PTI chief was in habit of taking U-turns after almost every claim and statement. The SAPM castigated Imran Khan for promoting the culture of name-calling and following the politics of chaos, allegations and lies.
Ataullah Tarar recalled that the judgments in the cases of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were announced by the courts after conducting day-to-day hearings. Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking salary from his son, he regretted. To a query, he said the copy of detailed judgment in the PTI’s prohibited funding case had been received by the government, a reference in the apex court would be filed after consultation with legal experts and lawyers.