Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said its the government’s right to the announce date of election as the PTI led by Imran Khan is set to initiate a long march to Islamabad for dismissal of the National Assembly and date for general polls.

“The government will not tolerate and allow any activity that can be a threat to the lives of people and writ of the state,” she said, while addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.

She added that the Constitution does not allow any kind of protest that is a threat to the lives of people.

“Not a single person from the former government condemned the killing of the police constable who had young children,” the federal minister said and paid tribute to law-enforcement agencies and police officers. “They will continue protecting the people of the country from the violence that has been planned by the PTI leaders.”

The federal minister said Imran would be accompanied by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and security officials, adding that it was certain that they would clash with Punjab and Islamabad police officials when they arrive in the federal capital.

“Imran is conspiring for a clash between the forces of provinces.

“How could the government allow them to protest when they have announced that it would be a bloody protest,” she said.

Quoting intelligence reports, Marriyum said the PTI activists and leaders would be armed with weapons and tear gas. “The constable’s killing proves that.”

Red lines had been drawn and the government would not compromise on it, she added.

She said the PTI announced a march to Islamabad at a time when the negotiations between the International Monetary Fund and Pakistan on the verge of a breakthrough.

Marriyum also raised multiple questions about the target of the former ruling party’s march: “Is it is about your incompetence or the fact that you raised the prices of flour, sugar, electricity, gas, petorl and medicines. Is it about your corruption or is it about getting a date for fresh elections?”

She said that Imran could have announced election while he was prime minister. “But the fear of your allies barred you from doing that,” she said, adding announcing the date of polls was the right of the government.

Aurangzeb recalled the incidents of PTI’s protest in 2014 for the ouster of the then-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led government.

“Imran Khan had vowed to remain peaceful but the demonstrators attacked state institutions, Parliament and the PTV building, and hung dirty clothes on the boundary walls of the Supreme Court.

“Now he says the march will be bloody,” she said, adding the past statements of the ex-prime minister could be enough to ascertain the level of violence in the march.