Capital police to go high tech to deal with protests

Non-lethal shell-throwing drones will be used to regulate public gatherings

ISLAMABAD:

In a bid to maintain the law and order situation, the Islamabad Capital Police has acquired an advanced technological capability to stop rioters from wreaking havoc in the federal capital.

According to a statement issued by the Islamabad police on Twitter on Saturday, advanced technological capabilities have been acquired to limit and regulate public gatherings to maintain law and order situation.

According to the Islamabad police, non-lethal shell-throwing drones will be used to limit and regulate public gatherings and disperse protesters in the future.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Safe City Project has announced extending its network to cover the entire city and a total of 389 cameras have been added to the system during the last 30 days for broader online monitoring.

In May earlier this year, the PML-N led coalition government had failed to contain the PTI activists and supporters – who while staging their ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’ – managed to cross all barriers and reached near D-Chowk after setting some trees and public property on fire in the Blue Area.

All of the important government installations including the Parliament Building, Supreme Court, Prime Minister House and Office, key ministries and offices, lawmakers’ residences, offices of the national broadcasters, among other important buildings, are located at an arm’s length from D-Chowk.

Though the representatives of the PTI had assured the Supreme Court that no damage would occur to any property during the rally on May 25, the scenes at Blue Area not just contradicted the assurance but were horrifying as trees, greenbelt areas, and public property were set on fire.