ISLAMABAD: The government on Saturday allowed the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to sacrifice animals at the venues of their sit-ins on Eidul Azha.

Officials in the capital administration and the police said the government had directed them not to intercept transportation of sacrificial animals to the Red Zone.

A few days ago when the leaders of the two parties announced their decisions to celebrate Eid at the sit-in sites, the police had sought a guideline from the ministry of interior.

On Saturday, the local administration and the police were directed by the government not to intercept the animals being transported to Red Zone by the protesters to avoid any confrontation with them.

The officials said clashes with the protesters on August 30 and September 1 had already created problems for the government, resulting in registration of cases even against the prime minister and his cabinet members.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Mujhahid Sherdil told Dawn that there was no ban on the movement of cattle to D-Chowk in the Red Zone.

A senior police officer, on condition on anonymity, added that the government had asked the police to facilitate the protesters to transport sacrificial animals to the venues of the sit-ins.

Police directed not to stop participants of sit-ins bringing animals to Red Zone

“Strict directions have also been issued to the police to avoid any confrontation with the marchers,” he said.

Police personnel have, however, been deployed at the entrance to the Red Zone and Constitution Avenue to conduct security checking of vehicles and people transporting sacrificial animals.

Other police officials said: “Earlier, several meetings were held between the officials of the police, local administration and Capital Development Authority (CDA) to finalise a strategy to

intercept those bringing animals to the Red Zone.”

During the meetings, a request was also made by the police to the administration to impose a ban on transportation of animals to the Red Zone under Section 144.

But the administration was reluctant to impose the ban, they said.

Besides, the CDA was also suggested to use a law that stopped merchandising of animals in residential areas.

However, the CDA officials opposed the idea and did not favour applying the law against the marchers bringing animals to the Red Zone.

The CDA officials were of the view that restricting sacrificial animals from reaching Constitution Avenue was also not possible.

On October 2, special teams were formed under the office of the DC Islamabad to contain the establishment of sale points for animals in the city.

These teams consisted mainly of staff from the administration and the capital police but a majority of them were from the CDA.

The objective behind the establishment of the teams was to stop the marchers from bringing sacrificial animals to the Red Zone.

Published in Dawn, October 5th , 2014