Capital braces for pro-Rohingya protests

Red zone likely to be sealed; deployment of army extended by 90 days

ISLAMABAD: With a number of political, religious and social organisations announcing their plans to march on the Myanmar Embassy to protest the violence against Rohingya Muslims, the capital’s authorities have decided to beef up security and even seal off the Red Zone and the Diplomatic Enclave.

Several political parties including the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have announced plans to hold protests and march towards the Myanmar Embassy in the high-security diplomatic district after Friday prayers today.

The JI has announced to hold its rally from Aabpara Chowk to the Myanmar Embassy, while the PTI says it will march from Sector G-6 to towards the embassy.

Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) has also announced to hold a rally from Lal Masjid to the Press Club, while Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) will hold a rally from the Imambargah in Sector G-6/2 to China Chowk after the Friday prayers.

Several other parties including the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and civil society organisations have also announced protest demonstrations on the Rohingya issue.

The protests come as over a quarter of a million people, mostly Rohingya refugees, have entered Bangladesh since fresh violence erupted in Myanmar last October, the United Nations said on Thursday. The announcement came as more bodies washed up a day after boats sank attempting to cross the river which divides the two countries.



Anticipating protesters

Rally organisers, particularly those from the JI, are determined to enter the Red Zone, but the police have started blocking entrances to the high-security area with shipping containers.

While there was no official word from the authorities about sealing the Red Zone - which houses the Parliament, the Presidency, Supreme Court, the PM’s Secretariat apart from many other key government offices and the Diplomatic Enclave - it is expected that all main roads leading to the Red Zone would be blocked with containers.

Police officials reaffirmed that protesters will not be allowed to enter the Red Zone and would be stopped from approaching the Diplomatic Enclave at all costs.

The authorities on Thursday also held talks with JI local leadership and its chief Sirajul Haq, hoping to convince them not to march towards the Red Zone. But officials said that their talks were unfruitful.

JI Islamabad district Ameer Zubair Farooq told The Express Tribune that they would alter their march route on the condition that the government severs diplomatic ties with Myanmar if they were to change their protest routes.

“We have asked the government to expel the Myanmar envoy and sever diplomatic relations with the country until it stops brutalities against Rohingya Muslims,” he said, adding that they were prepared to face any difficulty or obstacle in their march.

Separately while addressing a party function in Peshawar, the JI chief gave the government an ultimatum to expel the Myanmar ambassador by Friday.

“If Myanmar’s ambassador to Pakistan wasn’t expelled, JI will stage a protest in Diplomatic Enclave,” Haq warned.

The Islamabad Police has deployed hundreds of officers around the high-end Serena Hotel, National Database and Registration Authority (NDADRA) and Marriott chowk - the three main entrances to the Red Zone – while containers were placed by the roadside on Thursday evening. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has extended the deployment of 350 troops of the Pakistan Army in Islamabad to act in aid of civil power for another 90 days.

The troops have been deployed in the capital under Article 245 of the Constitution since 2014.

US warning

The United States Bureau of Diplomatic Security on Thursday issued an alert to its citizens, advising them to avoid the demonstrations.

“These events have prompted additional limitations on the movements of US government personnel in Pakistan,” the warning read.

“The US mission in Pakistan recommends that US citizens in Pakistan avoid demonstrations and other large crowds and remain vigilant about their surroundings at all times,” the warning added. “Even gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.  US citizens should carry appropriate identity documents when in Pakistan and should cooperate with police and security forces in any encounter. Cellphone connections may be disrupted during periods of unrest,” it advised.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2017.