Imran Had Criminal Motives; State Acted According To Law: Baleegh

ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Nov, 2016 ) : Minister of State for Interior Baleeghur Rehman on Friday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf had criminal motives to lockdown the capital so state acted according to the law to cope with the situation.

"It was legal and constitutional responsibility of the government to defend the capital. The government acted within the ambit of law", he said winding up discussion on the recent happening in the capital in wake of protest by PTI.

The minister said, the government fully believed in freedom of expression and the peoples right to protest, but it did not mean that 'any uncontrolled leader' of a political party could storm the capital to send a wrong message within the country and abroad.

He said previously the government allowed PTI to hold political processions at F-9 Park and at Raiwind, but this time they had 'criminal motives' as manifested in their speeches and talk shows.

"Any state or the government cannot allow such kind of protests. So, the government resorted to action but within ambit of the law and ensuring that people are not hurt.

" He said 323 arrests were made under 19 FIRs and all those arrested were given their legal right to bail and release.

"We have record of all arrests and FIRs. All actions were legal and lawful." Baleeghur Rehman quoted the example of KP Provincial Minister Amin Gandapur from whose vehicle arms and wine was recovered and said an FIR had been registered against him.

"He has not yet produced the license for the arms and is an absconder." He mentioned to stone pelting on police by the PTI workers at Bani Gala and said, the PTI leadership was providing shelter to those protestors who had attacked the police.

He rejected the language of the motion and said, there was nothing brutal about defusing the mob and protestors because the nation could not let them earn bad name for the country. He said the government was delivering in all areas especially in the power and railways sectors, while it is also not shying away from accountability.