Defense minister says Pakistan cannot afford another confrontation as PTI plans September 27 mobilization
NEW YORK: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has warned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against trying to enter Islamabad by force. He said the party’s planned September 27 protest could lead to a decisive confrontation.
Asif spoke in an interview from New York, where he is accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly.
The PTI plans to mobilize supporters in Islamabad on September 27. The party has also demanded the release of its founder, Imran Khan.
Government officials have warned that protesters cannot enter restricted areas or violate the law. They have also said the government will take action if protesters try to force their way into the capital.
Asif Responds to “Somnath” Remarks
Asif’s warning came after PTI leaders referred to Islamabad as “Somnath” while discussing the planned protest.
PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar used the reference while addressing supporters in Peshawar. He warned that party workers would respond if the government used force against protesters.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has also warned against attempts to block the PTI mobilisation.
Asif questioned the comparison with Somnath and stressed that Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan.
He said the September 27 mobilization could be the PTI’s “last attempt” to approach the capital in this way.
“Neither the federation nor Pakistan can afford such things anymore,” Asif said, according to the interview.
Government Warns Against Escalation
Asif also said the PTI might fail to attract the numbers it expects. He described that possibility as another potentially decisive development.
The federal government has said it wants to resolve political issues through dialogue. At the same time, officials have warned that authorities will enforce the law if protesters cross restrictions.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has also rejected any attempt to turn Islamabad into “Somnath.”
Former PTI leader Fawzia Kasuri criticised statements about attacking or confronting Islamabad. She said political differences should not lead to confrontation with the state or armed forces.
Kasuri urged the PTI to focus on its policies and governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the party leads the provincial government.
The PTI says its September 27 mobilization is a political protest and continues to demand Imran Khan’s release. The government, meanwhile, has warned that protesters must remain within the limits of the law as tensions rise ahead of the planned march.
