ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced on Tuesday that the federal government has decided to bar Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to hold long march in Islamabad.

“The long march will be stopped. The government has decided to stop the mess,” the interior minister said in a press conference after cabinet meeting alongside other federal ministers. “Nip the evil in the bud.”

Democratic protest is everyone’s right but they are not coming for that. If they had not called it bloody revolution, we would have given them the permission, no one can be given permission to block the federal capital, the interior minister said.

Read more: Crackdown by Police on PTI leaders ahead of long march

“The federal government is responsible for the protection of the live and livelihood of the people of Islamabad,” he said. “They have turned from abuses to bullets.”
In 2014 they did the same thing, they asked for permission for a democratic protest but later called for a civil disobedience movement and attacked state institutions, the interior minister said.

In light of the recent terrorist activities in Karachi, the Sindh interior ministry has imposed Section 144 across the province. As per details, Section 144 will remain imposed in the province for 30 days. The notification in this regard has been issued that bans the gathering of more than five individuals across the province.

Alongside Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad authorities have also imposed Section 144.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police have launched a crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership ahead of the long march announced by PTI chief Imran Khan.

As per details, Punjab police have conducted raids in different cities to arrest PTI workers and leaders including Lahore, Rajanpur, Khanewal, and other areas. Ahead of PTI’s long march on May 25, PTI leader Hammad Azhar’s residence was surrounded by the police to arrest him and other PTI members.