ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s inspector general of police to send a contingent of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) to assist the Islamabad police in maintaining law and order in the capital during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf`s (PTI) protest on Wednesday.

The IGP, who had earlier said he would not be able to spare the FC personnel in view of the situation in the province, has again been approached by the interior ministry.

The IGP was assured that the force would be sent back as soon as the situation returns to normal in Islamabad.

The new letter written by the interior ministry to the IGP recognises his professional capabilities as a responsible and dutiful officer. It said the federal government was fully aware of the security situation and demands of KP.

He was asked as to what his reaction as a responsible officer would have been had he been the IGP Islamabad in a situation where an armed mob had set aside demands of the law to take the federal capital hostage and paralyse lives of citizens.

`Would you not have acted to ensure supremacy of the law and protect the fundamental rights of the citizens?` theletter asked.

Under siege In another letter addressed to KP Chief Secretary Abid Saeed, Interior Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan said various intelligence reports had indicated the intentions of a select group of people who had planned to march towards Islamabad on Nov 2 from KP with a declared intention of paralysing the city and holding hostage the people and government institutions in the federal capital.

`It has also been learnt that certain cabinet ministers and members of the KP Assembly intend to lead some of these processions along with their official and personal armed guards,` the letter said.

`If this happens then it will be a grave violation of the law and in complete breach of public order since the administration of the federal capital and Ministry of Interior have not accorded any permission for any such protest in Islamabad,` it added.

The letter warned that given the serious security and terrorism threats being confronted at the moment, an added dimension was also clearly present against any such congregation.

It said: `It is therefore imperative for the provincial government of KP to take all necessary measures to prevent any unlawful congregation within its own jurisdiction and also take effective steps to stop any movement of an organised [and armed] mob towards the federal capital.

`Not discharging this responsibility shall amount to a violation of the constitutional obligations of the provincial government for which it shall be responsible.

`I would therefore, urge you to kindly bring the above to the attention of provincial cabinet and the chief minister with the advice of this ministry to adhere to constitutional obligations.