PESHAWAR / HYDERABAD: A week ahead of the PTI’s planned protest on Sept 27, residents of the twin cities are bracing for the arrival of the Jamaat-i-Islami’s (JI) ‘super long march’, which got underway by rail on Sunday.
The Rehman Baba Express, which is bringing activists from Karachi, had reached Tando Jam after a stopover in Hyderabad on Sunday night, and is expected to arrive in the capital this afternoon, barring any delays.
Speaking at Karachi Cantt station before setting off, party chief Hafiz Naeem said that a road caravan was simultaneously setting off for the federal capital as well.
He warned that if the petroleum levy was not abolished, the protest could turn into one to oust the government.
‘Instead of providing relief to the people, the government has decided that it would make the nation pay for its bad governance,’ he added.
‘We demand that the levy extortion should end. Petrol prices would then reduce quickly and reach around Rs200 per litre.Hafiz Naeem claimed the government had increased petrol prices more than any other state in the region.
He said that the government’s argument about market conditions was just a ruse to cover up its own failings, insisting that the recovery of the levy had nothing to do with oil prices.The JI emir said voicing complaints on social media was pointless,urgingsupporterstostepoutof their houses to protest the injustice.
‘For the past 36-37 days, nationwide protests have been ongoing, he said, adding that protests were currently under way in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Rawalpindi, Gujrat and various cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Although he and his party have been at pains to reassure the administration and people of Islamabad that they would not cause any hurdles to free movement and would remain peaceful, the JI chief seemingly wavered on that commitment on Sunday.
‘When we reach Islamabad, it’s not guaranteed that the situation would remain under control,’ Hafiz Naeem warned, adding that things could spiral if the government tried to suppress their movement.
He also urged supporters to step out oftheirhouses to protest theinjustice, as voicing complaints on social media was pointless.
In Hyderabad, the JI leader said that while his party held negotiations, the federal government had nothing to offerto the people.
On Saturday, a government delegation, including PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, and Salman Rafique, called on the JI leadership at its Mansoorah headquarters in Lahore, but the meeting failed to break the deadlock.
During the talks, the government delegation asked the JI to postpone the long march in view of security threats. However, JI leader Liaquat Baloch said the long march would remain necessary until the levy imposed on the public was withdrawn.
Preparations for PTI march The PTI, which has been gearing up for its own power show in the capital on Sept 27 for the release of Imran Khan, criedfoulover a string ofarrests thatit claimed were aimed at sabotaging their protest.
According to the party’s official X account, party leader Samiullah Chaudhry’s son Hamoodullah, MNA Ahsan Jamal, MNA Sanaullah Masti Khail, and MNA Mian Ghaus had been arrested following the detention of Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema.
Shortly thereafter, a session of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was called to meet at 7pm Monday evening.
While it was not immediately clear what agenda would be taken up, the assembly would ostensibly discuss the issue of lawmakers’ arrests and other measures being taken by the government to impede the PTI march on Islamabad.
Meanwhile, KP police chief Zulfiqar Hameed has ordered all his officers not to heed any pressure regardingparticipation in a march, rally or procession heading towards the federal capital.
In a letter issued a couple of days ago, the IGP ordered strict compliance of orders issued by the Islamabad High Court, stating that no official should comply with any order compelling him or her to facilitate any march, rally or procession leading towards the capital.
If any official is compelled to facilitate the September 27 PTI march, they should immediately inform the respective chief secretary, chief commissioner or police chief, the letter said.
‘No official shall permit any person to participate in any march leading towards the federal capital with an intent to obstruct, or to hinder or as a consequence of which free movement, trade, business or commerce, access to educational institutions, medical facilities, peaceful and lawful use of properties in the capital city were adversely affected,’ it read Separately, Punjab Police has also begun to move forces towards Attock, the gateway district from KP, to counter the PTPs upcoming march.
A senior official privy to the security plan told Dawn that 34,000 personnel have been given the go-ahead to reach Attock and Rawalpindi from various parts of the province, calling it one of the largest deployments ever to stop a political march.
The frontline police personnel were taken largely from the districts, Punjab Highways Patrol, Riot Management Police (RMP) and Punjab Constabulary (PC).
Contrary to previous practice, the official said that the high command of the Punjab police approved a new strategy for the police officers to discharge sensitive security assignments in three shifts (8 hours each)in order to handle the odd situations more effectively.
A large number of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), and prison vans have been moved to the district.
As many as eight major entry points leading to Rawalpindi/Islamabad have reportedly been identified for the purpose of sealing them by placing shipping containers in order to stop PTI rallies.
Police have also been instructed to shift major focus towards the Motorways connecting Punjab and KP besides GT Road.
Amjad Mahmood and Asif Chaudhry in Lahore also contributed to this report