Interior minister warns Opposition against taking law into their hands

• Rasheed says TLP, PDM will not be allowed to take the law into their hands.
• Media is "independent" in the country, Rasheed insists.
• PDM has announced countrywide protests against inflation.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed on Thursday vowed no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands in the country, while clarifying only peaceful protests would be allowed to take place.

“Whether it is the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) or Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), none of them should take the law into their own hands," he warned, while talking to media persons in Islamabad.

The PDM — a multi-party Opposition alliance — has announced a countrywide protest campaign against the government amid rising inflation.

Rasheed said the law will take its course as it is the responsibility of the state to maintain law and order if protests are held in violation of rules.

He insisted that presently there was no restriction on any political activity and that the media was "independent" in the country.

“Our politicians are getting exclusive coverage in the mainstream media and such coverage is not possible anywhere else in the world. Pakistani media is playing an important role in educating people,” he said.

He said that the present government was working on several options to control inflation on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was "seriously considering this issue" as he wanted to address it as early as possible.

He said that the issue of inflation was connected with the changing international economic situation; no one in the government wants rising prices in the country.

The minister said that along with domestic matters, the government had to make policies considering the evolving international and regional situation.

Rasheed said that the incumbent government would complete its tenure as it had been "successful so far" in running state affairs.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is lucky to have such an incompetent and ineffective Opposition," he added.

The interior minister that in order to ensure foolproof security, 1,000 additional personnel were being inducted into Islamabad police. He added that the government would be able to control crime rate better after the launch of a new air patrolling unit in the capital.