'Azadi March' by JUI-F: PTI government yet to give any final instructions to LEAs

In the event of a long march or a lock down of the capital, law enforcement agencies make every possible effort, as directed by the political governments, to avoid any untoward incident.
This was stated by senior police officials of Islamabad Federal Capital Territory while talking to this correspondent on condition of anonymity. However they acknowledged that governments often direct them not to use extreme steps against political gatherings and protests.
One official stated that the Khan administration has yet to give any final instructions with regard to the JUI-F's threat to lock down the capital next month. "Law enforcement agencies cannot take any extreme steps unless they are given specific directions in writing by the government", he further stated.
Talking to Business Recorder, JUI-F spokesperson Mufti Abrar claimed that the people in millions will participate in the "Azadi March", adding that the government will not able to stop them.
When asked about the strategy of the proposed lock down of the federal capital, he said: "Though the strategy is yet to be finalized, yet I can tell you that each and every road of Islamabad will be blocked. In fact, the flood of people who are coming to join us will automatically block each and every road to Islamabad".
To another question about the participation of other opposition parties, particularly Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he said that all the opposition political parties have agreed to pursue a joint strategy against the government.
He said the party leadership is in contact with all the opposition political parties and the consultation process has begun, adding that the Sunday meeting between Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif was an "initial consultation" which will be followed by more such meetings.
Talking to Business Recorder, senior PML-N leader and vice president of the party, Senator Mushahidullah Khan said that his party will participate in the JUI-F's upcoming "lock down" protest.
He further stated that some "elements" are generating disinformation with regard to participation of the opposition political partiers in the protest.
"There is no question that PML-N will fully participate in the protest," Mushahidullah said.
"Certain elements are disseminating baseless allegations against JUI-F chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman of using the religious card, he said adding that "we believe Mualana is a political person and he believes in the principle of a democratic struggle."
Why no question was raised when Khadim Hussain Rizvi of Tehreek-e-Labaik locked down Islamabad for around 20 days in 2017 and the PTI itself staged a sit-in for 126 days in 2014, he asked.
To another question as to why the Islamabad lock down protest is not being organized from the platform of the "joint opposition", he said though all the opposition political parties are agreed that PTI government was the outcome of a rigged elections, yet every political party has its own line of action and they take decisions independently.
The PPP has already explained its position not to participate in the JUI-F protest, as the party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari while speaking at a news conference on September 19 ruled out any possibility of joining the proposed "Azadi March" of JUI-F. "I don't want to do politics of dharna. I want to do politics of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. Why do you want me to become a Molvi," Bilawal said when asked whether PPP would join the JUI-F protest.
To hold the federal capital hostage is not difficult and takes less than a few thousand people, law enforcement officials pointed out to this correspondent. Tehreek-e-Labik Pakistan (TLP) of Khadim Hussain Rizvi virtually paralyzed the federal capital by blocking only Faizabad interchange - connecting the twin cities Islamabad-Rawalpindi - for almost 20 days.
Rizvi along with a few thousands supporters blocked Faizabad from November 8 to 27, 2017, despite measures taken by the then government. His protest ended after he received assurances from the government and the establishment.
In August 2014, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) along with Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) staged a sit-in for more than 100 days at D-Chowk. The dharna ended only after the heinous attack on Army Public School prompting the leadership to call off the dharna. In 2013, Mohammad Sikandar single-handedly blocked the main Jinnah Avenue bringing the federal capital to a standstill for hours before he was arrested after being shot and injured by a police commando.