The tsunami of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) all set to hit Islamabad on Friday morning, the federal government has chalked out a comprehensive security plan to ensure foolproof security to the marches. The government was reluctant to allow the marchers of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) of Dr Tahirul Qadri to enter federal capital but had to budge when major political parties termed the move undemocratic and unlawful.
The marchers of the PTI and PAT have left for Islamabad on Thursday afternoon from Lahore in convoys headed by their leaders - Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri - the duo hell-bent to hold Azadi March and Inqilab March, respectively, with objective what the call to give masses' their rights.
Ahead of marchers' arrival in capital, federal minister for interior Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan took stock of the security arrangements along with high security officials of ICT administration. CCTV cameras have been installed at different places in capital and control-rooms were established from where the 'Azadi March' and 'Inqlab March' will be monitored. An official said that some 35 CCTV cameras will be installed at the protest venue (zero point). A private company (Naya Tell) has been given the task to install the CCTV cameras, he added.
Besides Islamabad Police, the government has also called AJK police, Punjab police, Rangers and personnel of Frontier Constabulary (FC) to boost the security and to avoid any untoward incident. The number of police personnel at Faizabad is increasing while the protesters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also started reaching the capital. The police personnel who reached here from Punjab and AJK seemed quite exhausted.
Imran Ismail, a founding member of the PTI told Business Recorder that he has arrived from Peshawar along with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. "I couldn't give you any exact figure but I'm sure there will be more than 100,000 coming from the KP," he added. Ismail added that the group has reached Faizabad Interchange, which had been blocked by containers. "You can imagine the numbers here - containers have been pushed and we have cleared the way," he added.
They complained that there were no proper arrangements for them to sleep due to which they have been forced to sleep on the grass. About 200 men of Punjab police have reached capital in the evening while about 12 busses carrying personnel of AJK police also landed up in Islamabad.
The sources said that the security personnel have been given directives by the interior ministry not to allow anyone to create a law and order situation in the city and ensure peace at all costs. Though, the federal government allowed the PTI to hold rally at Zero Point or Kashmir Chowk near Serena Hotel, the administration is yet to take any decisions about the marchers of the PAT led by flamboyant Sufi cleric Tahirul Qadri.
The sources said that the PAT marchers will also join their protesting colleagues belonging to the PTI who will reach Islamabad as they left some hours before the cleric was allowed to proceed to Islamabad along with his supporters after he assured the marchers will remain peaceful.
An official of the city administration who was heading a team busy in installing CCTV cameras told Business Recorder that the first venue for the PTI marchers will be Zero Point. "The Zero Point will be the first option and if they went ahead they will be asked to stay on Kashmir Chowk near Serena hotel Islamabad as then the red zone begins and no protester will be allowed to cross into red zone," he declared.
Express high way, IJ Principal Road and Murree Road have been sealed near Faizabad and no vehicular was allowed to enter Islamabad, the beautiful. The main Murree road has also been blocked at Bhara Kahu, bringing all the traffic from and to the hill station of Muree to a complete halt.
Islamabad - one of most beautiful cities of the country, is giving a deserted look as no traffic could be seen on the roads, markets remain shut and only gun-totting men in black, blue and khaki uniforms could be seen roaming around the capital. The cellular phone service has been restored after two-day suspension by the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) when the government was severely criticised by the masses. The cable service in some sectors of Islamabad including the busy business centre Blue Area has been suspended.
Comments
Comments are closed.