Imran Khan, PTI should refrain from inciting riots, Rana Sanaullah warns

• "Law will take its due course if anyone tries to sabotage writ of the state," says Rana Sanaullah.
  
• Interior minister says he has received reports that over 500 miscreants belonging to the PTI have been brought to Punjab.
• Interior minister alleges that the party has made a plan of clashes among Pakhtoon and Punjabi brothers.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan on Saturday warned the PTI leadership to exercise restraint and avoid disrupting peaceful proceedings of tomorrow’s by-elections in Punjab.

“The law will take its due course if anyone tries to sabotage the writ of the state by indulging in unlawful activities,” he said.

The interior minister's warning was also addressed in particular to PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

A day earlier, Sanaullah said that he has received reports that "over 500 miscreants of the PTI" have been brought to Punjab to "sabotage" the elections process.

A plea seeking permission for appointing polling agents hailing from outside the concerned constituency is part of the conspiracy, Sanaullah added.

“Imran Khan has lost elections and is preparing to fight with the masses,” he said and warned Khan and the PTI’s tiger force to remain within the ambit of the law.

Lashing out at the PTI, the interior minister alleged that the party has made a plan of clashes among Pakhtoon and Punjabi brothers. He accused PTI’s Pervez Khattak, Asad Qaiser, Ali Muhammad Khan and Murad Saeed of sheltering the “miscreants”.

Khan would be responsible for the consequences if PTI’s tigers attempt to "disrupt the elections", he said, adding that the government would not allow them to steal the mandate of the people in the 20 constituencies.

He vowed to ensure fair and peaceful by-elections in the province tomorrow.

Special control rooms set up

It is pertinent to mention here that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set up special control rooms at central and provincial levels to monitor the by-elections, being held in 20 constituencies of Punjab Assembly tomorrow.

According to the ECP, the control rooms will continue working till the compilation of polling results, Radio Pakistan reported.

Returning Officers, relevant Deputy Commissioners, representatives of police, Rangers and the Pakistan Army will be present in the control rooms to deal with any emergency.

The control rooms will promptly resolve election-related complaints.