Rangers, FC to guard Parliament House: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said on Friday the security of the Parliament House and parliamentarians’ lodges will be reinforced with the deployment of the Rangers and FC personnel on the day of voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said the move is aimed to deter any untoward incident that could play havoc with the country’s image.

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He said the government is also ready to provide security to the MNAs belonging to opposition parties but warned them not to blame it if some of the MNAs are found absent on the voting day.

“They [opposition leaders] want to sabotage the vote of no-confidence,” he claimed. “They desire anarchy in Islamabad ahead of the no-confidence vote.”

Sheikh Rasheed urged Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman not to use Madressah students for his political ends. He once again warned that those taking the law into their hands will be dealt with an iron hand.

“Any party leader found involved in a conspiracy won’t go unpunished,” he added.

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Rasheed said members of the Ansarul Islam, the volunteer force of the JUI-F, first took control of the main gate of the Parliament Lodges and then some of them entered the premises.

Defending the police action at the parliamentarians’ lodges, he said that the police conducted the operation after permission of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, adding five personnel got injured after being tortured by JUI-F supporters.