l Containers ready to be placed at entry/exit points - Dirt mounds, trenches dug at key points across city - Cellular services suspended in Red Zone from Tuesday night - Army deployed along trails, ordinary citizens not allowed to hike onto Margalla Hills - Businesses, offices issue work-from-home orders - Diplomats told to limit their movements - Citizens rush to supermarkets, stock up on food and supplies |

ISLAMABAD: The container-isation of the capital looked all but complete on Tuesday as the city’s administration and law enforcement agencies braced for the arrival of the two opposition long marches, on Independence Day.

Over the past week, apprehensions about what may happen on August 14 had crippled business activities in the city, with most companies asking employees to stay at home.

On the roads, cars coming into the capital were being checked one by one, while vehicles exiting the capital were allowed free passage.

However, it remained unclear which thoroughfares would remain open and which would be cordoned off. Containers and large mounds of dirt have already been brought to key points in the capital and are expected to be placed on the roads on Wednesday night.

A spokesperson for Islamabad police claimed that they were trying their best to minimise any inconvenience that may be faced by residents over the next few days.

Roads open until further notice

Senior Superintendent of Police for Islamabad Mohammad Ali Nekokara told Dawn on Tuesday evening that most of the city’s roads were open for traffic.

“We have placed containers at certain points as a precautionary measure so they can be cordoned off in case there is a threat,” he said.

“Section 144 is in force in Islamabad and no one can hold a protest or demonstration without the district government’s permission,” he said.

Margalla Road, which remained open for traffic the last time Dr Tahirul Qadri held an extended sit-in in Blue Area, may also be closed for traffic on August 14. SSP Nekokara said: “2013 can not be compared to 2014. Every day has its own challenges.”

“But we will ensure that Islamabad residents are not inconvenienced too much by security arrangements. Even the Red Zone is open and will only be closed down if necessary,” he said.

Mobile coverage suspended

On Tuesday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issued a notification ordering the suspension of mobile services in the area designated as the Red Zone.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority spokesperson Khurram Mehran said: “The directions have been passed down from the Ministry of Interior to suspend mobile phone and wireless services”.

“In pursuant to the directions received from National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta), Ministry of Interior (MoI), I am directed to request closure of Mobile, Wireless and Data Services from 1900 hours on August 12, 2014 till further orders in Red Zone areas of Presidency and Convention Centre Islamabad (i.e. area starting from Margalla Road to Kashmir Chowk and China Chowk till Quaid-i-Azam University) to help law enforcement agencies to avoid any untoward incident and security threats, for Taqreebat-i-Youm-i-Azadi,” the notification read.

Representatives of cellular companies Ufone and Telenor confirmed that the government had ordered the suspension of mobile and internet services in the high security zone around Constitution Avenue.

“This means that users in these locations will not be able to access emails and social networking sites or chat applications that require access to mobile internet services,” said the official in Telenor.

Both officials of the cellular companies denied rumours that services had been suspended in other sectors.

The PTA spokesman also substantiated that mobile services would remain operational in other sectors of the city until further orders.

Apprehensive Islooites

The situation at the capital’s filling stations was comparatively normal following days of speculation regarding the closure of petrol pumps. Markets also remained open, although apprehensive Islooites flocked to supermarkets to stock up on frozen foods and other household items, in anticipation of an extended sit-in.

The manager of a frozen food outlet in F-11 Markaz told Dawn he sold his entire day’s stock by early afternoon and had to ask for another batch of frozen chicken and other such products to satisfy demand.

Aqeel Chaudhry, who works for a major bank headquartered in Blue Area, told Dawn all non-critical staff had been asked to ‘work from home’, while key individuals has been assigned work stations that would be most accessible to them.

“So an IT manager who lives in Rawalpindi will report to a branch near their place of residence, so that essential bank functions continue unabated,” he said.

A European Union diplomat told Dawn his mission had advised him to confine his movements to sectors F-6, F-7 and F-8. “I cannot move past Zero Point without clearance from my security department. It’s not the end of the world and I realise that, but it is better to be safe,” he said.

Imran, who works for a USAID project based in sector F-6, told Dawn that staff at his workplace had also been issued work from home orders.

A manager at a local cellular company told Dawn his company had declared a holiday on August 13 and 14.

“Our superiors say that they will monitor the situation and will decide whether work will resume on the 15th after taking stock of the situation that unfolds on Independence Day,” he said.

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” said an exasperated motorist, gesturing towards the long line of vehicles ahead of him at a checkpoint on Margalla Road.

“I remember when containers were used to block the path of the Sharifs’ long march by the government of Asif Ali Zardari. Today, the same tactic is being used by them, against Imran Khan.”

Dr Jawad Chishti, an environmentalist and hiking enthusiast, told Dawn he frequents Trail 5, which begins from near the Red Zone. “I live in I-8 and I’m not sure if I will be able to go hiking on August 14,” he said, visibly disappointed. Another hiker said that military personnel had been posted on the hills along the hiking trails.

“I was stopped and told that civilians are not allowed to go further, so I had to turn back before I even got half-way to the summit,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2014