Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah warned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson and former prime minister Imran Khan to ensure that his long march to Islamabad remains a peaceful one, otherwise the government would intervene in order to prevent anarchy.
He issued these remarks at a media talk outside the Lahore district and sessions court, where he was attending a hearing for a drugs case filed against him by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). Talking to the press, he said that PTI will have to give the government assurances that the protest will be peaceful, democratic and political.
Sanaullah criticized Khan for 'misleading' the people of Pakistan against the government, saying that if Khan continued to tell his supporters to disrespect members of other parties, he will face the same fate himself. "You won't be able to escape from it," he said.
He referred to Khan's recent address in Mianwali, where he had told PTI party workers that nothing could stop the long march, neither containers nor the interior minister. He also accused Sanaullah of committing 18 murders.
Addressing Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid's recent statement about the PTI long march turning bloody, he said, "You told people that this march will be bloody. I am warning you to take your words back or I won't let you step out of your house."
The interior minister also demanded that PTI 'distance' itself, condemn and apologize for the Madina incident, saying that he knew the people involved were Khan's people, and that they have been identified, therefore Khan must take action.
He said that there was pressure on the government from certain religious groups to push cases against the PTI. "But we don't want this. Ahsan Iqbal was also attacked. We want PTI to at least apologise."
He issued these remarks at a media talk outside the Lahore district and sessions court, where he was attending a hearing for a drugs case filed against him by the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF). Talking to the press, he said that PTI will have to give the government assurances that the protest will be peaceful, democratic and political.
Sanaullah criticized Khan for 'misleading' the people of Pakistan against the government, saying that if Khan continued to tell his supporters to disrespect members of other parties, he will face the same fate himself. "You won't be able to escape from it," he said.
He referred to Khan's recent address in Mianwali, where he had told PTI party workers that nothing could stop the long march, neither containers nor the interior minister. He also accused Sanaullah of committing 18 murders.
Addressing Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid's recent statement about the PTI long march turning bloody, he said, "You told people that this march will be bloody. I am warning you to take your words back or I won't let you step out of your house."
The interior minister also demanded that PTI 'distance' itself, condemn and apologize for the Madina incident, saying that he knew the people involved were Khan's people, and that they have been identified, therefore Khan must take action.
He said that there was pressure on the government from certain religious groups to push cases against the PTI. "But we don't want this. Ahsan Iqbal was also attacked. We want PTI to at least apologise."