Preparations in place for PPP Liaquat Bagh rally

Police will escort Bilawal from Faizabad to Liaquat Bagh under box security in his bulletproof vehicle

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were full of excitement to welcome Bilawal Bhutto at public gathering on the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh where she was assassinated 12-years ago.

The Rawalpindi PPP organisation has given final touches to the arrangements and some 20,000 chairs have been set up for people who will be coming to attend the mass gathering from across the country.

The organisers have set up two stages in the ground, one for the central and provincial leadership and for the divisional and district level leaders.

Walls around the ground were adorned with party flags and images of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, Bilawal, and Asif Zardari besides the sponsoring leaders. The sound systems were blaring party songs to create a festive mood and keep volunteers charged.

One of the boundary walls of Liaquat Bagh has been demolished to make a wide course that has been made for the workers expected to come out in large numbers. This wall would be constructed again by the party after the meeting.

Further, the Rawalpindi PPP President Babar Jadoon said that the party would bear expenses on the wall’s construction. He added that barbed wires have been placed to restrict the participants from reaching the main stage.

Explaining the security arrangements, Jadoon said that the walk-through gates would be installed at entry points of Liaquat Bagh and the CCTV cameras have already been installed.

Metal detectors would be used to search all the entrants, he added and told the peoples security would perform security in Liaquat Bagh while the police would be present outside the ground for ensuring security.

Jadoon said that the party chairman Bilawal would be received by the police at Faizabad from where he would be brought to Liaquat Bagh under box security in his bulletproof vehicle. The same route and security pattern would be followed on his return and he would not come out of his car at any point, he added.

Two routes have been kept for Bilawal’s return keeping in view the security threats, he told.

Traffic plan

The City Traffic Police (CTP) has issued a traffic plan ahead of PPP rally on Friday.

The traffic plan has been issued to save motorists from any inconvenience.

As part of the plan, the Liaquat Road, China Market Road, and Murree Road would remain closed for any kind of traffic. The traffic from Marrir Chowk to Committee Chowk on Murree Road would remain suspended during the public gathering hours.

Meanwhile, different thoroughfares around the city including the Tipu Road, Rashid Minhas Road, and DAV College Road would stay open for the motorists.

Rawalpindi traffic police have also allocated parking for participants of the rally. They would be able to park their vehicles on either side of the road leading to TNT from Marrir Chowk.

Similarly, single-side parking would be available from Marrir Chowk to Nogaza (Auto Market) and Kamran Market.

People would also be able to park their vehicles near Committee Chowk Sasta Bazar.

Convoys arrived in Pindi

Scores of convoys of PPP workers and supporters from across the country have started arriving in Rawalpindi.

The party officials from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have been arriving in the garrison city using aerial or land routes. The PPP Rawalpindi has established a reception camp at Rawalpindi Railway station where the convoys are being welcomed by the local party leadership.

It is expected that the remaining convoys will reach the hosting city by noon today.

Hotels booked for the PPP guests from other cities have ran out of space. Many guests were staying at Peoples Secretariat whereas some stalwarts have provided space at their houses and farms nearby.

Deputy Commissioner Saifullah Dogar said Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is a national leader and his security was a priority. “We will ensure the security of today's public meeting held in Liaquat Bagh,” he said talking to the media during his visit to the ground. DC said the administration will follow SOP whether the public gathering was organised by government or opposition. According to the SOP, hospitals will also remain alert in any emergency. He said security will be monitored in Liaquat Bagh through CCTV cameras and other sources. Police, Civil Defence Organisation and other agencies will provide assistance in holding peaceful gathering.

According Rawalpindi police, at least 1,000 policemen have been deployed for the security of the jalsa. Personnel of the Special Branch and Bomb Disposal Squad have made rounds of the rally ground and will make final check with the help of sniffer dogs to detect any bomb or explosive material.

Police oficials said Bilawal Bhutto will be brought to the stage surrounded by elite police commandoes who will take position behind him on the stage. Only people mentioned in a list shared with police will sit with Bilawal and no other person will be allowed to come near him.

Moreover, sharpshooters will take positions on buildings around Liaquat Bagh to keep watch on miscreants.

Police officials said that the jalsa ground will be in a cordon of three layers of security, people will be frisked before entering through any of the 12 walk through gates. Policewomen will check women guests coming for the public gathering.