Consul: Anti-govt. Protests Should not Undermine Pakistan’s Security
Tehran (Tasnim) – The Consul General of Pakistan in the Iranian city of Mashhad said Pakistani parties legally have the right to hold rallies but it should not cause insecurity in the country.
Referring to anti-government rallies planned to be held on the Independence Day of Pakistan, Yavar Abbas said official parties in Pakistan have the right to hold peaceful protests but no one is permitted to undermine the country’s security.
“The Independence Day reminds Pakistanis of commemoration of those who lost their lives for the country’s freedom to make the nation proud of its history, culture, and language,”Yavar Abbas told Tasnim News Agency in the north eastern city of Mashhad.
The consul also hoped that Thursday’s Independence Day would be peaceful in the face of calls by political parties such as Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for a nationwide “Azadi (independence) March” aimed at establishing “true democracy” in the country.
Abbas further denied reports that the army supports the march and stressed that Pakistan’s army is not involved in the issue.
The consul emphasized that the army is currently busy fighting terrorism in North Waziristan province and reiterated that the army in Pakistan does not meddle in politics and just tries to maintain security in the country.
The country’s former cricketer and the opposition politician Imran Khan as well as the Canada-based populist cleric Tahir ul-Qadri are the protest leaders whose marches have been banned by the Lahore High Court.
Both Khan and Qadri, who led mass demonstrations in Islamabad early last year to urge electoral reform, allege that the May 2013 general election was rigged.
