Police given full autonomy to deal with protestors: Interior Minister

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi addressed the situation unfolding in the federal capital and said that the government does not want any bloodshed. “Our effort was to prevent any spectacle happening on the streets of Islamabad,” Naqvi said, adding, “The President of Belarus is currently one kilometer away from [D chowk]”.

He said that one shell of tear gas costs Rs4,500 and the protestors are using teargas shells against the forces. He added that the government using tear gas against protestors brings disrepute to the country. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government provided tear gas shells, Naqvi told media.

Sharing details of the clashes that have already happened between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protestors and the law enforcement agencies, Naqvi said that “three Rangers and a policeman were martyred and the condition of two Rangers personnel is critical.”

The interior minister categorically said that the Inspector General of Police has been authorised to deal with the protestors as the police see fit. “We do not want any loss of life. Our priority is the protection of the Red Zone,” he added.

Naqvi also informed that the government and the PTI had decided to take the protest and the sit-in to Sangjani area. But that was not followed by the convoy of PTI. “Their secret leadership is making all the decisions”.

“The entire leadership of the PTI does not want bloodshed,” Mohsin Naqvi said, adding, “The secret hand behind them has not succeeded”.

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