Rangers, FC to be deployed at Parliament House on day of no-trust vote: Rashid

Rangers, FC to be deployed at Parliament House on day of no-trust vote: Rashid

Islamabad (Web Desk): Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday said that the government has decided to deploy Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) to protect the Parliament Lodges, Parliament House, and the old MNA House on the day of the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The minister's remarks come a day after Islamabad police launched operation inside the Parliament Lodges to expel members of Ansar-ul-Islam workers, a uniformed volunteer force of the JUI.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad, the minister said that private militia of any party will not be allowed to take law into hand.

He regretted the incident that took place at the parliament lodges yesterday. The interior minister reminded that Ansar-ul-Islam is a banned outfit.

"Our police personnel got injured in the incident but no Member of National Assembly (MNA) was arrested besides nobody was booked under anti-terrorism law," he said.

He, however, made it clear that strict action will be taken if anybody tried to take law into hand.

Sheikh Rashid said it has now been decided to also deploy Rangers and FC personnel at the parliament house, parliament lodges and the MNA hostels.

The interior minister said that the government is ready to provide more security to the opposition members.

Responding to a question, the minister said that the opposition parties do not have support of one hundred and seventy-two members for the success of its no-confidence motion in the National Assembly.

"Opposition was sensing defeat in the no-trust motion it had brought against Prime Minister Imran Khan "and that is the reason they are creating anarchy in Islamabad".

The minister warned that he would not take into consideration the stature of a leader and take all-out action against anyone who disrespected the law.

Sheikh Rashid said he did not want to create panic but there were reports regarding security threats to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and himself.

The minister also requested the JUI-F chief "not to bring students of seminaries" to Islamabad.