Govt cracks whip as PTI, JI gear up for capital marches

He said that if protesters took the law into their own hands, security personnel would not remain silent spectators and will respond effectively.

Referring to the prevailing law-and-order situation (terrorist attack in Kohat) in the country and the sacrifices made by security personnel, Naqvi said that while the nation was attending the funerals of martyrs, preparations were simultaneously under way for sit-ins and an advance on the capital.

He urged the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government and the chief minister to focus on eliminating terrorism and ensuring the rule of law in the province instead of spending resources on a march towards Islamabad.

The interior minister distinguished between political rallies and an attempt by groups to advance on the capital, saying that peaceful protest was a democratic right of every political party. However, he said, such protests should remain within the respective areas and provinces rather than being used to besiege the capital and paralyze daily life.

Naqvi warned that if even a single person lost their life as a result of the confrontation, the organizers of the protest would be directly responsible. He also appealed to responsible opposition leaders to reconsider their decision, saying that politics of confrontation would only harm the country.

He added that the government's foremost priority was to ensure the safety of citizens while minimizing disruption to life in the federal capital. In a detailed judgment issued today, the IHC ruled that any activity resulting in infringement of citizens' fundamental rights amounts to a violation of the Constitution.

It warned that public office holders responsible for such violations would also be deemed to have breached their oath of office. The court also held that the right to peaceful assembly could not be exercised in a manner that infringed the fundamental rights of other citizens.

Meanwhile, Islamabad Advocate General said security personnel would ensure that no protestors would move towards Islamabad. The government machinery will not be allowed to be used in Islamabad for the protest, he said. He said action against anyone violating their constitutional responsibilities was provided under the Constitution, adding that proceedings could be initiated under Article 5.