• Warns party to ‘not enter a dead-end street’; claims its majority leadership not in favour of the Islamabad march
• Tarar says he doesn’t remember a PTI march ‘ever being peaceful’

ISLAMABAD: As the PTI gears up for a nationwide protest and march towards Islamabad on Sept 27 to press for the release of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan, and the government vows to prevent any disruption in the capital, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday warned the party against proceeding with its planned protest and vowed a full government response if it went ahead.

“We have clearly told them [PTI] that they can never achieve anything through such drama, and I will say again that there is still time; they should not go into this situation,” Mr Naqvi said during a press briefing, advising the party to “not enter a dead-end street”.

He vowed the government will not “leave any loopholes” in its response if the party went ahead with the protest.

The minister claimed that PTI’s majority leadership was not in favour of the march. “[However], if they do, then we have the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order, and the government will ensure its implementation.”

The IHC order, issued on Sept 14, ruled that no political party or its leadership has the “lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas and buildings in Islamabad”.

Mr Naqvi appealed to the PTI to adopt a different approach. “Do not harm yourself and your workers.”

Asked if the government had any “long-term solution” to PTI’s frequent protest calls, the minister said: “I believe this time we will find a permanent solution; we will not leave it halfway.”

When asked why the government was reluctant to shift Imran Khan to a private health facility — as requested by his party and family — amid concerns about his health, the minister said doctors examined Imran Khan last night. “If they demand that his check-up should be done at a hospital, then we did have one last night [..] we are already fulfilling the demand,” he said.

“As for the treatment that is prescribed under the law, we will do everything according to the law. But we will not do it simply because they are demanding it.”

Asked if the government was considering imposing governor rule in PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr Naqvi said: “Look, we have already made it clear to them that whatever legal options are available, the prime minister, in consultation with our law ministry, will utilise them.”

However, he clarified that the party will not be allowed to “come to Islamabad and shut down the city for 10 days. That possibility does not exist”.

‘No violent group will be allowed’

Speaking to the media in Kohat later in the day, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reiterated that no “violent group will be allowed to descend upon Islamabad”.

“I cannot remember a peaceful PTI protest in the recent past. Though I absolutely remember that Rangers and police personnel were martyred. Peaceful protesters do not leave their homes armed with sticks, nails, glass or slingshots,” he said.

The information minister accused the party’s demonstrators of damaging state property and harassing women, recalling that they had allegedly set a Metro station and trees on fire during one of their demonstrations in Islamabad.

“They should never even use the word ‘peaceful’ since they have never been peaceful nor can remain so. Therefore, no violent group can be allowed to enter Islamabad,” he declared.

Mr Tarar also accused the PTI

government of corruption and “bad intentions” in KP, questioning where the law and order funding was being spent in the wake of last week’s deadly Kohat blast.

He slammed KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for going to Lahore and “recording videos on a charpoi” — a trip that concluded days before the Kohat blast — rather than staying in his province.

“Who will answer for the additional NFC (National Finance Commission Award) funds that have exceeded Rs150 billion?” the minister asked, alleging that the funds were being used for political purposes.

“You have to answer for where you spent the law and order fund as policemen are sacrificing their lives,” he said, adding that the money should have been invested in police training and technical enhancement.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2026