ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that the government would not allow violent groups to reach Islamabad or block roads.
He said the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ruled against road closures and disruption to public movement.
Tarar said the administration must ensure that protests do not disrupt traffic or the movement of citizens. He added that police and other government departments remained prepared to keep roads open.
“No violent group will be allowed to reach Islamabad,” Tarar said.
He said the government remained in contact with Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leadership over its planned protest.
Tarar described JI leaders as peaceful and flexible. However, he stressed that the law applied equally to everyone and protesters could not block roads.
The remarks came as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a nationwide protest and march towards Islamabad on September 27.
PTI has called the protest to demand the release of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan. JI, meanwhile, has launched a campaign against the petroleum levy and plans to march towards the federal capital.
Rs120bn Daily Economic Loss Feared
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb separately warned that strikes, sit-ins, long marches and road closures could cause an estimated Rs120 billion loss to the economy each day.
He gave the estimate in a recorded message and said the disruption could hurt ordinary people, small traders and shopkeepers.
Aurangzeb said the Planning Commission and Finance Ministry had jointly assessed the potential economic impact of protests and sit-ins.
The services sector could suffer the largest loss at around Rs86 billion per day. This includes financial services, communications, retail, transportation, wholesale and hospitality.
The industrial sector could face losses of around Rs25 billion. These losses would include construction, finished goods, raw materials and supply chains.
The agriculture sector could lose around Rs9 billion. The government could also face an additional revenue loss of about Rs17 billion each day.
Aurangzeb said businesses and exporters already faced pressure from disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.
Higher freight and insurance costs have added to those pressures, he said. He also pointed to the country’s recent rise in terrorist activity.
The finance minister warned that further political disruption could affect the government’s export-led growth plans.
He said the export target for the current fiscal year stood at $35.9 billion, with six per cent growth expected.
“We have been on trajectory for the first two months,” he said.
Aurangzeb recalled that the economy took about one and a half months to recover from losses caused by a strike in December 2025.
He also highlighted the possible impact on IT exports. Pakistan’s IT exports reached $811 million during July and August, averaging around $13 million per day.
He said internet connectivity disruptions during previous episodes of civil disobedience had reduced IT exports by as much as 80 per cent.
Aurangzeb called for dialogue to resolve outstanding political issues. He said his responsibility was to present the available figures and explain the possible economic impact of disruption.
Govt Raises Concerns Over PTI Statements
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said recent statements by PTI leaders had raised concerns about possible violence during the planned march.
Speaking to a private television channel, Chaudhry referred to a statement by a senior PTI leader about turning Islamabad into “Somnath”.
He described the statement as a threat and said the government had a responsibility to protect the federal capital.
“Islamabad is the city of all Pakistanis, and no one will be allowed to deteriorate its law-and-order situation,” he said.
Chaudhry said JI had no history of protests turning violent or undermining law and order.
He added that the government had held several rounds of talks with JI and expressed hope that both sides would resolve the dispute through dialogue.
The IHC has said political parties have the right to peaceful assembly but cannot exercise that right in a way that obstructs other citizens’ fundamental rights, including free movement and access to hospitals, schools, workplaces and businesses.
