PTI leaders 'courting arrests' to avoid participation in 'illegal' protest: govt

• Strict action to be taken against miscreants as per law: Naqvi.
• State will not permit "mob attack" on Islamabad: Asif.
• Dar says PTI protests "conspiracy" against country's prestige.

Strongly reacting to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's "do-or-die" protest in Islamabad, the federal ministers have termed it an "illegal and unnecessary", claiming most of the opposition party leaders and workers are "courting their arrest to avoid their participation in the so-called final call".

During his visit to different areas in Islamabad on Sunday, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that as per information came from Punjab and Islamabad, most of the former ruling party's top and low tiers leaders were voluntarily surrendering to the police for their arrest to avoid participation in the Islamabad protest.

"One thing is pretty clear that the PTI's leadership does not want a release of their leader [Imran Khan] from the jail," he added.

He said the PTI had only one demand which was to get an NRO-like concession for the release of their leader from the jail, but the government cannot do anything in this regard.

This is the domain of the courts where the PTI is supposed to argue and fight for the release of their leader who has been facing different charges, he added.

"Life in Islamabad is normal as people are taking strolls in parks and children are playing various sports at different places, but some major highways have been closed to maintain law and order in the city," he noted.

He held the PTI responsible for the roads’ closure and inflicting financial damage to traders and businessmen. The PTI did not only want to derail the economy but was also hell-bent on damaging the foreign relations of Pakistan with friendly countries.

Tarar said the PTI had a track record of creating chaos and anarchy, and vandalising public properties. He added the PTI had orchestrated the May 9 arson and vandalised the sensitive installations and memorials of martyrs, just to create chaos and anarchy.

"Our responsibility is to ensure security in Islamabad," he said, adding the miscreants would be dealt with iron hands.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that strict action will be taken against miscreants in accordance with the law and assured that the government has taken all possible measures to protect the lives and property of citizens.

Naqvi conducted an aerial visit to Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Attock to review security arrangements in the three cities. He added that the administration, police, and law enforcement agencies are prepared to deal with any possible situation.

In a separate press conference at the federal capital’s D-Chowk, the minister vowed action against "miscreants", adding that the police have arrested a number of protesters from the Faizabad interchange.

He claimed that the PTI protesters tried to gather at the route designated for the Belarus president's convoy who is due to arrive in Islamabad on Monday (tomorrow).

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also warned the PTI that any violent protests would be met with a firm response as the state will not permit any illegal mob to attack Islamabad.

Islamabad has been placed on high alert, with the government warning of zero tolerance for violent mobs, he added.

Talking to a private news channel, the defence czar expressed disappointment that the PTI tends to protest whenever a foreign leader announces to visit Pakistan, adding that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur should focus on improving the law and order situation in the province.

"Both government and military leadership are jointly moving the country forward," Asif stated.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar questioned PTI's repeated calls for strikes, terming them as a well-thought out conspiracy against the country's prestige.

He said that the party had always announced its protests at a time when important global personalities were on their visits to Pakistan.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also slammed the former ruling party, saying that people have rejected the elements making calls for protests and sit-ins repeatedly and today's show of the PTI will also fail.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore today, the minister said no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands and the miscreants would be dealt strictly.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said that the PTI founder has been sentenced by courts, and he can only be released through legal way and not through any sit-in and protest.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Amir Muqam criticised the Imran Khan-founded party, saying that the PTI does the politics of protests and chaos and remains indifferent to people’s problems.

In a news conference in Islamabad today, he said the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become precarious but the provincial government is spending the province's resources on protest demonstrations.

Muqam said the former ruling party’s apathy towards the security situation in Kurram is unfortunate and the people have rejected PTI's call for protest.