Federal Minister for Planning and Special Projects, Ahsan Iqbal, declared on Sunday that the call for a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has failed, as the public has rejected calls for protests and sit-ins. His comments come as PTI prepares to march towards Islamabad despite warnings from the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (NACTA) about potential terrorist threats during the demonstration.
NACTA issued an alert indicating that the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) may target the PTI protest, prompting the government to deploy thousands of security personnel to manage the situation. Addressing the media in Lahore, Iqbal assured that the government is committed to protecting citizens’ lives and properties, and appropriate security measures have been implemented.
Iqbal emphasized that Pakistan’s economic progress is being driven by successful policies, and accused PTI of attempting to disrupt this progress for personal gain. He added that protests and attempts to create law and order issues would not be tolerated, and those responsible would be dealt with harshly.
Furthermore, Iqbal stated that PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, can only be released through legal processes, not through protests or sit-ins, and that Khan must clear his name in court.
