Capital lockdown: Police chalks out security plan for PTI’s Nov 2 sit-in

Personnel from police forces of Punjab, K-P and AJK, and FC will be deployed in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police have demanded deployment of an additional 15,000 to 25,000 law enforcers to ensure order in the federal capital on November 2 when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will stage a sit-in the city.

The additional force may comprise personnel from the Frontier Constabulary (FC), Punjab police, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police, Azad Jammu and Kashmir police and some other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), said a senior official of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration.

The official, who didn’t wish to be named, said the administration has already requested the relevant authorities to arrange accommodation facilities for the law enforcers on Nov 2. According to sources, the city police has also demanded accommodation facilities at five different places in the city for the requisitioned LEAs.

These places include Aabpara’s Community Centre in Sector G-6, Community Centre of Sector G-9 with all halls, Haji Complex including courtyard of the mosque and all halls, Sport Complex with Liaquat Gymnasium and allied halls, and the Allama Iqbal Open University Campus at Mera Bhaigwal.

Moreover millions of rupees have also been demanded to cover expenses projected to be incurred by the police and paramilitary troops during the expected lock down.  The city police have also forwarded a summary to the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry of Interior for release of the heavy amount.

Islamabad Police have a total strength of around 10,000 personnel, out of which only around 5,000 are available for maintaining law and order situation in the city while the rest are deployed on VIP duty, the official added.

As part of the preparation to tackle the announced sit-in, Islamabad police were also recently given anti-riot training and equipped with anti -riot gear, including shields, helmets, batons and non-lethal weapons.

The government had deputed as many as 5,000 personnel from Punjab Police, 1,000 from AJK Police and 3,000 from FC in the capital when the PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) staged marathon sit-ins in Islamabad in 2014.

PTI chief Imran Khan has repeatedly said his party is up for final showdown this time and has vowed to lock down the capital until the prime minister resigns or presents himself for an impartial and swift investigation into alleged offshore business as revealed in the Panama Papers.

On the other hand, federal ministers have repeatedly said the government will not allow anyone to disrupt the normal life of citizens in the capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 23^rd, 2016.