ISLAMABAD, Oct 28(ABC): The Ministry of Interior has said that no political party can be allowed to destabilise the state through forceful measures — such as a long march — as the PTI gets ready to hold its “Azadi March”.
“It is imperative that federal and provincial governments should act in unison and follow the constitutional provisions,” the ministry said in a letter — issued on October 26 — to all the provincial governments and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) governments.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan has announced that the party will start its long march from Lahore’s Liberty Chowk at 11am tomorrow and head towards Islamabad — with stops in several cities.
The government approached the Supreme Court to stop the march, citing a deterioration in the law and order as the last time that the party marched to the capital in May, people lost their lives and several were injured.
The ministry’s letter mentioned that under Article 148(1) of the Constitution, the executive authority of every province shall be exercised to secure compliance with federal laws which apply in that province.
The letter added that it is “equally important to ensure that no government employee [is] allowed to join” PTI’s protest and any deviation from the constitution and laws would not be allowed at any cost.
The ministry’s letter was issued on the same day when PTI leader Faisal Vawda claimed that the long march would “witness bloodshed, death, and funerals”.
But the PTI leadership has ruled out the speculations of violence and reaffirmed that their march would remain “peaceful”.