Federal government has finalised the security and other arrangements for Friday's in-camera joint sitting of the Parliament and declared the Red Zone 'no-go-area' for people. No vehicle except having special passes would be allowed to enter the Constitution Avenue.
Pakistan Army was deployed inside the Red Zone, besides heavy contingents of Rangers, Anti Terrorist Squad and Police commandoes were deployed around the Red Zone, informed sources in Islamabad Police revealed to Business Recorder on Thursday evening. Joint in-camera sitting of the Parliament was convened to give the law-makers an account of the May 2, US Military operation in Abbottabad, in which they claimed to have killed Osama bin Laden, the most wanted terrorist of present time.
Besides Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani and his cabinet colleagues, the joint sitting will be attended by Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) General Khalid Shameem Wayne, Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvaiz Kayani, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Qamar Sulemen, Director General Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Ahmed Shuja Pasha.
Military and political leadership will brief the parliamentarians about the Abbottabad operation while videos on Abbottabad operation and killing of Osama bin Laden will be shown during the session, sources said. Commandoes equipped with latest weapons along with snipers were deployed on rooftops of all the buildings in entire Red Zone especially on both sides of the Constitution Avenue.
Interior Ministry sources revealed that all the previous passes of the Parliament have been cancelled and fresh special passes were issued to people who will attend the joint in-camera sitting of the parliament. All the roads leading to the Parliament House will be closed for any sort of vehicular traffic after Friday congregations and only vehicles of Parliamentarians and high civil and military officials would be allowed to enter the Red Zone.
It was learnt that the government has made all arrangements to keep media men away from the Parliament for which all the passes of media were cancelled. The seating capacity in the National Assembly Hall has been increased for the joint session to make space for Parliamentarians, services chiefs, ISI chief and other high civil and military officials who will brief the parliament about the details of the military operation and respond to their queries.