SCO moot: Govt to use all-out force to block PTI's Oct 15 protest

The federal government has vowed to use "full force" to stop the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) planned protest, which coincides with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on October 15.

"The call for protest on October 15 is an attack on the integrity of the country [....] We will not allow [anyone] to damage the honour and reputation of the country [....] The state will use it's all of its power and resources to prevent the invasion of Islamabad," said Asif while speaking to the media in Sialkot.

The defence minister's remarks refer to the Imran Khan-founded party's announcement to hold a demonstration in the federal capital on the same day the city is set to host representatives of several countries who will be visiting Pakistan to attend the Council of Heads of Government meeting scheduled from October 15 to 16.

The demonstrations, if held, would be the second in a month in the city. The previous one last week saw violent protests as the workers of the former ruling party, under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, took to the streets in what the party claimed was meant for the "independence of the judiciary" — as the government aims to introduce constitutional amendments — and for the release of its incarcerated founder.

The said protests, as per a report submitted to the city's chief commissioner by the Islamabad Inspector General's office, caused damages worth Rs240 million to private and public property.

Firing a fresh salvo, Asif said that the PTI wanted to repeat the events of the May 9 riots — which saw military installations being vandalised — and that the party wanted to prevent the country's progress and development.

The politician also called for the courts to intervene and take notice of the matter.

"Do the courts not see what the PTI founder is doing with the integrity of the country? The actions of the judiciary today will determine their role in history," he remarked.

'Similar script to Karachi airport attack'

For his part, Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal said that nine heads of state would visit Pakistan during the SCO summit and the government will aim to bolster ties with them.

"The Chinese prime minister is going to visit Pakistan after 11 years [...] However, tehreek-e-inteshar [PTI] has decided to hold a protest," Iqbal told media persons in Islamabad.

He also drew parallels between the Karachi airport attack — which killed three including two Chinese — and PTI's October 15 protest. "I think that their script writer is the same. In 2014, PTI postponed the Chinese president's visit through their sit-in."

The planning minister said that the opposition party was trying to derail the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at a time when the economy was moving towards stabilisation.

"Is the country ready for all this?" he questioned. Iqbal suggested that the PTI founder, Khan, should prove his innocence in courts as he reminded the people that he too was sent to jail during PTI's government.

"We did not fight the state when we were sent to jail," he added.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that the former ruling party had "declared a war" against the state by announcing its protest on the opening day of the SCO summit.

She blamed the PTI founder for blocking path of the country to come out of isolation at a global level.

The state would give a tit-for-tat response if someone declares a war, she vowed adding that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) also ruled that no sit-in would be held in the federal capital till the conclusion of the regional conference.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman said in a statement: "PTI's call for a protest at D-Chowk on October 15, coinciding with the SCO summit raises serious questions."

"This move seems aligned with fostering chaos, instability and politics of anarchy looking to undermine Pakistan's prosperity," she added.

The senator asked the former ruling party to review its style of politics and take back its protest call.