TAXILA: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has invited the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to the negotiating table, stressing that all issues should be resolved through dialogue and political means rather than sit-ins and pressure tactics.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, he said the PTI leaders claimed to be torchbearers of justice and democracy and they should resolve all issues through constitutional means in a peaceful manner.

Answering a question, the minister said the PTI would not be allowed to hold a public meeting at D-Chowk in Islamabad on Nov 30. The party would have to seek permission from the district administration to hold a rally that day. Mr Khan said nobody would be allowed to disturb the peace of Islamabad as the government was ready to deal sternly with the people who “wanted to damage state property in the garb of peaceful protests”.

He warned that if it became clear that the PTI wanted to attack government institutions the “law could take its course even before Nov 30”.

The PML-N leader said the government would act against protesters in accordance with the law and utilise all available resources to protect buildings of national importance.

The minister said the PTI had raised the slogan of freedom which meant that every citizen, including government officials, had the right to unhindered access to his or her office and residence.

Mr Khan said the daily routine of residents of the capital should not be disturbed in any way and the government and administration would deal strictly with anyone who tried to create a law and order situation there.

Ruling out presence in the country of militants of the Islamic State (IS) group, he said the civilian and military organisations had repeatedly rebutted reports in this regard.

He said some militant groups were using name of the IS to sow panic in the country. A few slogans inscribed on some walls could not be described as footprints of the dreaded militant group.

The minister said the government and the intelligence and law-enforcement agencies were keeping a watch to ensure that the IS did not take root in Pakistan.

Addressing PML-N workers later, Mr Khan said work to set up a modern hospital to cater to the needs of the area would begin soon.

He said a local committee would be formed to eliminate corruption in police, revenue and municipal departments.

The minister also inaugurated construction work for a labour colony, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs7 billion in Taxila, and a Rescue-1122 centre, to be set up in Wah Cantonment in three months.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2014