Security beefed up at Interior Minister's residence amid Islamabad protests

NAROWAL: In an outlandish move, the security has been beefed up at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s residence in Narowal city amid ongoing sit-in in the federal capital, ARY News reported on Wednesday. 

As many as 200 personnel of Punjab police have been deployed at Interior Minister’s residence in Narowal city.

According to police sources, these security measures were being taken in view of ongoing protests in Islamabad. A barbed wire fence has been placed around the residence of Iqbal, besides police checkpoints were established at all entry and exit routes of the city, sources said.

The protesters have been camping out at Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad for a fortnight in protest while calling for action against responsible for making ‘now-withdrawn’ amendment to clause pertaining to the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (finality of the Prophethood) oath for electoral candidates.

Ahsan Iqbal has been at the forefront in the entire episode to convince the protesters to end the sit-in peacefully despite Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders to evict protesters from Faizabad Interchange, disrupting all kind of traffic movement for last two weeks.

Court’s deadline lapses 

On Monday, Iqbal asserted that the government would not take action on whims of some conspirators, as he said, the court has been asked to grant 48-hours of time to tackle the issue peacefully.

He was talking to media after appearing before the court when he said: “The government does not want a showdown resulting in another Lal Mosque [Lal Masjid] or Model Town incident.”

Appearing optimistic for for productive talks with the protesters, Iqbal then said there was no legal justification of protest after a bill passed unanimously by both houses of the parliament concerning the finality of Prophethood (Khatm-e-Nabuwwat), adding, Pakistani parliament and nation were defenders of Khatm-e-Nabuwwat.

However, the interior minister maintained that the Frontier Corps and Punjab Rangers personnel would remain deployed to avoid any kind of eventuality.

It merits mentioning here that the court’s deadline lapsed today and it will resume hearing the case tomorrow (Thursday).