Army to maintain Islamabad law and order for three months: Nisar

 ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Friday announced the government’s decision to call in the military to take control of Islamabad from August 1 for a period of three months.

Speaking to media representatives, Nisar said that the Interior Ministry under Article 245 of the Constitution has sought the army’s services for maintaining law and order in the federal capital for a period of three months.

Responding to a question, he said the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had not given a formal application to the capital administration for holding any rallies in Islamabad.

Nisar said the decision to allow the rally would be taken only after the PTI leadership requests the government in this regard.

The federal interior minister added that the decision would be taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif upon his return from Saudi Arabia.

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Earlier, sources had said that the government was mulling over invoking Article 245 of the Constitution to summon the army in all major cities of the country.

Sources had added that the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan was also being carried out under Article 245 of the Constitution.

Given below are details of Article 245 of the Constitution which pertains to the functions Pakistan’s Armed forces, taken from the National Assembly website:

(1) The Armed Forces shall, under the directions of the Federal Government, defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so.

(2) The validity of any direction issued by the Federal Government under clause (1) shall not be called in question in any court.

(3) A High Court shall not exercise any jurisdiction under Article 199 in relation to any area in which the Armed Forces of Pakistan are, for the time being, acting in aid of civil power in pursuance of Article 245: Provided that this clause shall not be deemed to affect the jurisdiction of the High Court in respect of any proceeding pending immediately before the day on which the Armed Forces start acting in aid of civil power.

(4) Any proceeding in relation to an area referred to in clause (3) instituted on or after the day the Armed Forces start acting in aid of civil power and pending in any High Court shall remain suspended for the period during which the Armed Forces are so acting.

Source Dawn