The Maldivian government said it had locked down its Parliament on Monday to ensure the safety of the premises during Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visit on Wednesday, AFP reported on Tuesday. Sharif, who is on a three-day visit to Maldives, will be the chief guest at the country’s 52nd independence anniversary celebrations on Wednesday.

“The special measures taken by the security forces at the parliament building on July 24, 2017, were to ensure the security and safety of the premises, as mandated by the Constitution,” Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen’s (pictured above) office said.

On Monday, security forces had locked down the parliament after receiving orders from Yameen. Clashes had erupted after Maldivian Democratic Party lawmakers stormed the compound in an attempt to vote on whether to impeach the parliamentary speaker. Yameen had ordered the troops to remove the lawmakers and prevent the impeachment of his speaker, Opposition members alleged. MDP members said security officials used pepper spray on several MPs to forcefully evict them from the parliament building.