Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi conducted an aerial survey of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Attock to assess security arrangements amid the ongoing protests by the PTI.
The minister also conducted an aerial survey of the overall situation on the Swabi-Pathargarh Motorway.
The minister expressed satisfaction over the security measures, emphasizing that the government has taken all necessary steps to ensure public safety and maintain law and order. He said as per the orders of the Islamabad High Court, all necessary steps have been taken to ensure public order. He commended the efforts of police, Rangers, and Frontier Corps personnel for diligently performing their duties.
“No one will be allowed to disrupt the law and order in the capital,” Naqvi said, warning that miscreants will be dealt with strictly according to the law.
Earlier, addressing the media during his visit to D-Chowk in the capital, Naqvi stressed that anyone attempting to stage protests at D-Chowk would be arrested. He claimed while the overall situation in the country remains calm, protesters are primarily arriving from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He also highlighted that while the PTI had its plans, the government also had its own strategy.
He also advised the provincial ministers to go to Parachinar instead of storming Islamabad, adding that the safety of the people is the foremost priority.
Addressing concerns about foreign delegations, Naqvi stated that routes have been cleared by the Islamabad and Rawalpindi police to ensure smooth travel for visiting dignitaries. He criticized protesters for attempting to block the route of the foreign delegation, revealing that several individuals involved in such activities had been arrested. "The president of Belarus is arriving in Islamabad tomorrow," Naqvi asserted.
Naqvi also claimed that Afghan nationals were among those arrested in Islamabad from different hotels last night. “PTI should clarify whether these protests are led by Pakistanis or Afghans,” he remarked.
Mobile phone services remain operational, although mobile internet has been temporarily suspended in certain areas to prevent misuse. "This time, the roads have not been closed as much as last time," he claimed.
He claimed that whatever help the KP government needed from the federal government was provided to it within hours. "We are in constant contact with the KP chief minister regarding peace and security," he stated.
Naqvi took aim at the protesters, questioning their motives and the timing of their demonstrations, which coincided with significant national and international events, such as the SCO conference and the arrival of foreign delegations. “Their protests cause harm to ordinary citizens and damage public property,” he said.
