Federal Interior Minister Nisar Ali said on Wednesday the government had not inked any agreement with protesters staging a sit-in in front of Parliament House to disperse them peacefully. Addressing a news conference here, he said some religious clerics have played a positive role in defusing the situation but the government will initiate a legal action against those found involved in illegal activities during the sit-in.
"Neither a written agreement is inked with the protesters nor anybody from the government side had a mandate to do so," he said. To a question, he said Ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Pir Hasnat held a meeting with representatives of protesters on the latter's request.
The minister said that Rawalpindi and Islamabad Police have arrested some 1070 people during the last few days and action will be taken against those involved in illegal activities. "The police would release those who had no role in the rampage or damaging of public property," he said. Two prominent leaders from Karachi have played a positive role in dispersing the protesters, he said, adding the police action against rioters had been delayed to avoid any untoward incident.
He said an inquiry committee that has already been set up will give a detailed report on lapses of security measures in Islamabad that let the protesters enter the capital's Red Zone. "As per directions of the prime minister, a similar inquiry would also be conducted in Punjab to ascertain the security lapses," he said, adding the government is committed to upholding rule of law in the country.
He said political or religious party to hold sit-ins or protests in the D-Chowk in future. "This is a sensitive place and people who come here for protests hold the government by its neck," he said. The proposal of declaring the D-Chowk as no-go-area for protests and public gathering would be placed before the cabinet and parliament too, he said, adding that it is important to protect sanctity of some important government buildings in the area like Supreme Court of Pakistan and Parliament House.
The minister also clarified the government has no proposals under consideration to amend 295-C, a section of the law that is applied against people who commit blasphemy. Shortly after the news of 'successful negotiations with the government' reached participants of the sit-in, they chanted vociferous slogans against the government to celebrate their 'victory.'