Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD… Security officials have made a clear distinction between the protests by Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf in and around the federal capital, saying that at present they do not see any connection between the two activities. A senior security official said on condition of anonymity that the security agencies are more concerned about the PTI’s September 27 march towards Islamabad than the Jamaat-e-Islami protests. According to the official, the assessment of both the parties is mainly based on their past behavior and the possible impact of their protests on public order and the daily life of citizens. Jamaat-e-Islami has announced Islamabad march against petroleum levy and rising fuel prices, while PTI has announced the march of September 27 and has included in its demands the release of party founder Imran Khan and implementation of court orders. The security official said authorities do not have the same level of concern about Jamaat-e-Islami, which he said has generally demonstrated that it does not engage in activities that could harm the country or disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens. However, the official said the security assessment is different for the PTI, which he said is due to the party’s past record during protests and demonstrations. According to the official, the government and security agencies are particularly concerned about any activity that may disrupt normal civilian life in Islamabad, damage government property or create other law and order complications. The official also cited the PTI’s political and electoral activities outside Pakistan as part of the broader security review, but did not elaborate. The official stressed that the authorities are not against the constitutional right to protest. However, he said that any protest must remain within the ambit of law and cannot be allowed to paralyze the normal civic life of Islamabad. “The situation of the past will not be repeated,” the official said, making it clear that the authorities do not intend to allow Islamabad to be held hostage by political activities. This stance of the security agencies has come amid warnings from the government ahead of PTI’s expected September 27 activity. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has already said that no group will be allowed to enter Islamabad on September 27 and has warned that the government will prevent any such march “by all possible means”. The Home Ministry has also organized security meetings involving law enforcement agencies and provincial administration officials to prepare for the PTI protest. The government maintains that its aim is to ensure public safety and prevent disruption to normal life. A recent decision of the Islamabad High Court provides an important legal background for the government’s position. While dealing with the petition filed by PTI against the proposed march of September 27, the court directed the chief ministers to ensure that the resources of the provincial government and government machinery are not used for the protest. The court also held that no political party or leader has any legal right to occupy public roads, highways or government buildings. The senior security official said the authorities will implement the court’s directives in their true meaning and full spirit, especially where the rights of ordinary citizens and their normal activities are concerned. The official clarified that the distinction being made between the two protest activities does not mean that Jamaat-e-Islami’s demonstration will be exempted from the law. Rather, the security assessment is that the nature of the two protest activities and their potential outcomes are different. This difference is significant because the PTI has publicly termed its September 27 activity as peaceful and constitutional. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has said that the party will not use government resources for the protest and ruled out any plan to forcefully enter Adiala Jail. Meanwhile, PTI has also openly supported the protest of Jamaat-e-Islami and has invited the leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami to participate in its September 27 march. The situation indicates a political connection between the two sides, however, the senior security official said authorities do not currently view the two protest activities as a joint coordinated security operation. The comments of the said official indicate that the main concern of the security agencies is not merely to hold a political protest but whether a demonstration continues within legal limits without disrupting the lives, movements and economic activities of the citizens of the federal capital.