ISLAMABAD: The administrations of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have started preparations to counter the PTI’s announced countrywide protest, including a request for detention of activists, arranging containers, seeking additionalpersonneland procuring antiriot gear.
The Islamabad police are also collecting information related to the protest, including preparations by the political party and activities of its leaders, workers and activists.
Sources in the police said contractors who provide and arrange con-tainers for the police had been alerted, and a demand for over 1,000 containers had been made. The contractors were asked to arrange containers of different sizes, which would be used to seal the Red Zone, High Security Zone and the capital’s entry and exit points.
The containers would also be used to seal the main avenues and highways of the capital to intercept the movement of protesters during the demonstration and block the entry of protesters coming to Islamabad from other parts of the country.
The police’s demand for containers is very high across the country due to the announced protest.
Besides the capital police, the provincial police forces of Punjab and Sindh are also making similar demands, resulting in a shortage of containersforthe contractors.
The contractors were asked to arrange the maximum number of containers.In case ofa shortage, the police will arrange the containers independently.
Over 100 containers have beenarranged for the capital and placed along roadsides at different locations, including the ITP headquarters, Faizabad, Tarnol and Sangjani.
A security plan is also being prepared to assess the number of personnel required for security duties.
A demand for manpower from other provinces will be made to strengthen the capital police for law and order duties duringthe protest.
Likely, over 15,000 personnel will be requested from the Punjab and Sindh police, along with the Federal Constabulary and Rangers. The antiriot unit has also been alerted and asked to check and audit its stock and make a fresh demand for antiriot gear, including longand shortrange teargas shells and teargas guns.
The intelligence wings and units of the capital police and Special Branchhave been asked to gatherinformation regarding preparations for the protest and the activities of PTI local leaders, activists and workers.
Vigilance and intelligence gathering are being intensified around themand their places of stay to keep an eye on them and collect information.
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi administration issued detention orders of more than 30 PTI workers and activists under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
Under Section 3, administrative officers such as deputy commissioners or district magistrates can order preventive detention for individuals to prevent perceived threats, protests or disruptions.
The detention orders were issued for 30 days and can sometimes be extended to 90 days, said a police official.
A citizen had challenged the PTPs sit-in and nationwide protest scheduled for Sept 27 in the IHC on the grounds that it could disrupt routine life, traffic and business activities in the federal capital. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi spent the past few days in Sindh to mobilise party supporters for the Sept 27 protest.
A senior police official told Dawn that the district administration and police had been waiting for thecourt’s decision regarding the PTI protest and that a security plan would be chalked out afterwards.
‘Definitely, the entry points will be sealed with containers and otherobstacles, in addition to heavy deployment of law enforcement to maintain law and order,’ he said.
Kalbe Ali also contributed to the story