The government may impose an emergency in Punjab within 24 hours of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) caravan led by Sohail Afridi entering the province, journalist Mohammad Malick claimed on his talk show.
Malick said that the plan currently being discussed in official circles was to use the caravan’s entry into Punjab as a “legitimate excuse” to impose an emergency as it heads towards Islamabad.
He said that the Islamabad High Court (IHC)’s decision concerns the protection of the federal capital and does not apply to the whole of Punjab. According to Malick, officials could argue that the PTI caravan had left Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), entered Punjab and was heading towards Islamabad.
Malick also claimed that authorities believe the caravan will include PTI’s “most die-hard and core group of supporters”, who the government considers more likely to create law and order problems.
He added that the plan could involve allowing the caravan to move through Punjab before imposing an emergency behind it and establishing “full administrative control”.
“In a way, you could say they are cordoned off,” Malick said while explaining the alleged strategy.
Malick said that the next 24 hours after the caravan enters Punjab could show whether the plan he described will be implemented.
