ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ijaz Shah on Friday said police was the first line of defence to deal with internal challenges including criminals and terrorists.

Addressing the passing out parade of assistant superintendent police (ASPs) at the National Police Academy in Islamabad, he said it was only through dispensing justice to the people that law and order can be ensured in the country.

The interior minister said police was a very challenging and sacred profession and the officers must show commitment and loyalty to their profession which would also help improve the force’s image amongst the masses.

Also Read: Govt conditionally allows JUI-F to hold ‘Azadi March’

The government has given conditional permission to the opposition to hold ‘Azadi March’ led by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F in Islamabad.

“Permission for the Azadi March is conditional to the verdicts of the Supreme Court and high court in this regard,” decided the team, constituted to hold talks with the opposition, led by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and Prime Minister Imran Khan in a meeting, official sources revealed on Wednesday.

The meeting had decided that the permission would be given for the proposed Azadi March, if it was held by remaining within the limits of law and the constitution.

The JUI-F chief had said that the Azadi March against the government was a national level movement and every opposition and political parties had agreed to participate in it.