Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan on Saturday warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership against disrupting peaceful proceedings of by-elections in Punjab scheduled for today (Sunday).
“Imran Khan Niazi and [the] PTI should refrain from rioting on July 17,” he wrote on Twitter, and added that the “law will take its due course if anyone tries to sabotage the writ of the state by indulging in unlawful activities.”
“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.
The federal minister has accused the PTI of bringing around more than 500 rioters to Punjab with the intention of causing violence during by-elections. “A plea seeking permission for appointing polling agents hailing from outside the concerned constituency is part of the conspiracy,” he added. The interior minister alleged that the PTI has drawn up a plan to stoke clashes between Pakhtoons and Punjabis. He also 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.
The home minister said that he will ensure a clean, transparent and peaceful election and those who would disobey the orders of the election commission will be dealt with strictly.
