The police plan to stop vehicles of long march participants at three entry points — Tarnol, Sihala and Bhara Kahu. PHOTO: Zafar Aslam/EXPRESS
RAWALPINDI: The capital police on Friday geared up security plan after the unveiling of long march route plan by Minhajul Quran Rawalpindi chapter claiming that 50,000 activists will gather at Faizabad on January 14.
In response to their route plan, the Islamabad police have decided to stop the activists at Faizabad. This was decided at a meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bani Amin. It was also decided to arrest those activists who will try to enter the capital.
Over 2,500 police personnel and 2,000 rangers are ready to handle the protesters and Frontier Constabulary (FC) will also assist the police.
According to a senior police official, the Islamabad administration has also requested the provincial governments of Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Azad Kashmir (AJK) to provide them with additional police force to control the protesters. However, a response to the requests is still pending.
The police plan to stop vehicles of long march participants at three entry points — Tarnol, Sihala and Bhara Kahu. “Protesters will be forced to go back and if they try to enter into the city, we will use tear gas,” said a police official requesting anonymity.
MQI Rawalpindi chapter head Hafiz Abdul Jabbar said they targetted over 0.5 million people in Potohar region including Attock, Murree, Gujar Khan after a door-to-door campaign and expected that 50,000 activists from Rawalpindi will gather at Faizabad Chowk. The activists will gather in front of their main office at Chandni Chowk and then march to Islamabad.
“We have finalised our strategy,’’ said Sohail Abbasi, the MQI Rawalpindi spokesperson. He said that 12 camps have been established in different parts of the city to mobilise, facilitate and help the march participants.
He claimed that their registered membership in Rawalpindi is 4,845 and each member has been tasked with bringing at least five people to the march. He said main rally led by Tahir Qadri will reach Rawat, however activist from Rawalpindi city will welcome him at D-Chowk. Abbasi claimed on January 10, police officials had removed their camp offices from the Saddar area, but activists will continue mobilisation activities.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2013.
COMMENTS (7)
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Isn't this a big barrier to Democracy!? This government does not want to put an end to this corrupt system.
Isn't this a barriere to democracy? Government is just attesting that he is corrupt.
I can forsee violence here.....police and security forces beating/attacking peaceful protesters. Qadri sahib please don't stop. Imran Khan - This is your moment, join this long march. If 1 million people or even 500,000 people join this march, then the security forces will be helpless. May Allah swt help them in their quest - Ameen
This shows the level of corruption it Pakistan. From the day the march was announced it has promised to be 100% peaceful and it does not go against the Constitution. Is this what they call democracy? Stopping the people from standing up for their rights and standing up to change Pakistan for the better.
This march was claimed and promised to be a peaceful march, a march carried out to demand reforms in election so that they abide by the constitution, a march whereby the only desire of the participants was to bring happiness and eradicate corruption in then nation. Then why are the Government wanting to stop it?
As Thomas Jefferson said “The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.”
If this is what makes the nation happy, then why is the government not supporting it? We have seen the nation of Pakistan suffer due to this corrupt electoral system and now they have finally stood up for their right, in a constitutional, democratic and legal manner, but the government is going out of their ways to stop this??
Greetings,
The Govt and its allies approach on handling this situation is entirely nonserious, As they have been told a dozen times of this March to be Peaceful, still they are deploying forces to disrupt the peace and integrity of this march!
Trying their best to FAIL, however, people are coming in from every Nook & Corner to participate in this march for Green & Peaceful Revolution and it will not be possible to stop this massive Peaceful crowd!
Regards.
Is this what we call democracy? Having a protest is everyone's democratic right. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is right, this so called democratic government is more like a political dictatorship!!! The government seriously needs to think over their decisions