Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Saturday said that everyone had a constitutional and legal right to protest, but Islamabad should be off-limits for demonstrations and urged people to "end the practice" of staging long marches and protests in the federal capital.
"If anyone needs to protest, they can do so in Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Peshawar, or Multan. This practice needs to end," Sanaullah said while talking to private TV channel.
He pointed out that the ban on protests in Islamabad did not apply only to the PTI. Gatherings in the capital without prior permission are also banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, which had been rushed through the National Assembly ahead of a PTI gathering that month.
"Peaceful protest is everyone's constitutional and legal right, but they need to minus Islamabad from that," Sanaullah stated. "It is everyone's right, but minus attacks on Islamabad. This must be ensured."
He highlighted that a message had been sent that no protests would be allowed within Islamabad, as foreign diplomats were present in the federal capital and demonstrations would send a "bad message".
The PML-N leader accused PTI of aiming to overthrow the government, alleging that their goal is to "erect ladders next to the walls of Adiala jail and break in to meet Imran Khan", who has been incarcerated there since an Aug 5, 2023 conviction.
