ISL AMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday hailed Imran Khan`s decision to call off the planned protest on Nov 2, saying that such a course of action could only have led to chaos and violence.

Addressing a press conference following the Supreme Court`s decision, he said that the developments of the day should not be seen as a victory for one and defeat for the other, remarking: `It is a win-win situation. It is a victory for the future generations of Pakistan`.

Apologising to all the people who had to endure hardship due to the blockades and tear gas, the interior minister said this was not the government`s doing, as it was merely trying to keep the capital from becoming a battleground.

He said the blockades were meant to prevent the invasion of the federal capital by another provincial government, adding that the PTI had used official cranes, lifters and other equipment to remove the obstacles. `If this is how we are going to compete, the federal government is much better equipped,` he mused.He said there were clear announcements that a mob was coming to lock down Islamabad. `What would your reaction be if we sought the resignation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s chief minister and then threatened to lock down Peshawar if the demand was not met?` If the precedent of thrusting one`s opinion on others by force had been set, it would have had dangerous consequences for the country`s future, he said.

He claimed that the government was not responsible for the inordinate delay in the finalisation of terms of reference (ToR) for a judicial commission to probe Panamagate.

He recalled that the prime minister had already written to the Supreme Court, requesting it to nominate a commission to investigate the case, adding that the PM had also offered himself for accountability and said the process should start from him.

He blamed the PTI`s stubbornness for the delay, saying: `Had the PTI agreed to the ToR, this case might have been decided by now.

The interior minister also went off at a tangent about his loyalty to his job, saying that he always acted in accordance with his conscience. Responding to remarks by Imran Khan who had advised the minister to listen to his conscience Chaudhry Nisar claimed that he had been a federal minister multiple times and it was no big deal for him.

He said he had a history of playing the `devil`s advocate`; presenting the `other side` of various issues before the prime minister, even if they were bitter pills to swallow.

The interior minister claimed that the government had never barred political activity during its three-and-ahalf year term, recalling the PTPs 2014 sit-in.

He said that Imran Khan was his friend, but added that the PTI leader betrayed his trust when he violated their agreement on the venue of that sit-in.