ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar addressed members of the diplomatic community on Wednesday, shedding light on the challenges posed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests and reaffirming the government’s dedication to safeguarding Islamabad’s Red Zone.
Dar highlighted the enactment of the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024, which prohibits demonstrations in the Red Zone and requires prior approval from a magistrate for public gatherings. He explained that the Islamabad High Court had already barred PTI from staging protests in the area, prompting the government to assign Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to negotiate with PTI leadership. However, these efforts were unsuccessful.
Stressing the importance of Red Zone security, Dar noted its significance as home to key institutions like Parliament House, the Supreme Court, and diplomatic missions. He pointed out that PTI’s protest on November 24 coincided with the Belarusian president’s scheduled visit, mirroring the party’s pattern of holding protests on critical occasions. He recalled similar disruptions during the SCO summit earlier this year and in 2014, when PTI’s actions delayed a visit by the Chinese president.
Dar also criticized PTI for pursuing protests based on unsubstantiated claims. He reminded the diplomats that the Supreme Court had dismissed allegations of rigging in 35 National Assembly seats, the primary justification for PTI’s 2014 sit-in. Despite a written agreement to apologize, the party never fulfilled its commitment.
The deputy prime minister noted the government had offered an alternative protest site in Sangjani, but PTI insisted on marching into the Red Zone. He emphasized that freedom of expression and human rights must not come at the cost of public safety or the disruption of diplomatic operations.
Dar assured the diplomats that the government had exercised restraint, deploying law enforcement equipped only with water cannons and tear gas while reserving the military as a third line of defense to secure key locations such as the Diplomatic Enclave and Parliament House.
He also questioned the legality of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s use of public resources to organize a march on Islamabad, asserting that no province has the authority to act against federal directives.
