LAHORE: City police on Saturday devised a comprehensive security plan for Raiwind March of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has declared that his party will march on Raiwind on Sept 30 to pressurise Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to present himself for accountability in Panama Leaks scandal.

On Saturday, PTI leaders and police high-ups visited Adda Plot, a place about four to five kilometres away from the Sharif family residence in Raiwind, to review security arrangements for the meeting.

The meeting also defined the route of the rally and to contain it to Adda Plot.

According to the plan, 6,000 policemen, including 11 divisional superintendents of police (SPs), 23 DSPs and 50 inspectors, have been directed to provide security to the march.

The meeting also decided the Raiwind Road would be closed for any type of traffic on Sept 30 and an alternate traffic plan would be issued for the people.

The police high-ups decided to install walkthrough gates at entry and exit points of the meeting and every participant would have to go through checking with metal detectors.

A senior police official told Dawn they were carrying out search and sweep operation in and around the route of the rally to ensure foolproof security of the participants. He said intelligence agencies, including special branch and intelligence bureau, would also be deployed to report any untoward incident. Only one entry and exist point had been planned for participation in the march, he added while requesting anonymity.

Although the PML-N leadership has stopped its workers from taking out any rally on Sept 30 and ordered closure of all the party offices on the route of PTI march, the police officials say they cannot take chances and they would ensure that no clash between the workers of both political parties happen.

Earlier, the media showed PML-N workers armed with batons flexing their muscles, threatening the PTI workers against coming close to the Raiwind house of the Sharifs.

The PTI had earlier announced the rally near the residence of the Sharif family but the later changed the venue to Adda Plot.

Some PTI leaders also showed their concerns after the PML-N workers talking to media threatened the rally participants and a complaint was also lodged against PML-N leaders, including Minister for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, Punjab Home minister Rana Sanaullah and Chief Minister’s adviser Zaeem Husain Qadri.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2016