RAWALPINDI: The local police have intimated to the provincial authorities that they would require 6,800 rubber bullets, 300 shipping containers and 10,000 tear gas shells during the PTI’s planned siege of Islamabad on Nov 2.

A plan to cope with any possible law and order situation during the protest was prepared by Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja at a meeting with the district police officers of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal on Saturday.

A senior police officer said preparations had been started to handle the PTI’s planned protest in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal. Though neither the RPO nor the CPO officially gave details of the plan, the senior police officer said no political worker would be allowed to enter Islamabad on Nov 2.

As part of the plan, the police have demanded 5,000 rubber bullets, 300 freight shipping containers, 1,500 batons, 5,000 tear gas shells, 2,000 extra personnel and 25 sections of the Elite Force commandoes for November 2.

Besides, 1,800 rubber bullets were demanded for Chakwal in addition to 200 batons, 4,000 tear gas shells and 400 extra police personnel. While the DPO Attock demanded 2,000 extra police personnel and 25 sections of the Elite Force commandoes, he did not ask for any rubber bullet or batons.

The senior police officer said 1,400 police personnel and 26 sections of the Elite Force commandoes were demanded by the Jhelum police in addition to 1,000 tear gas shells and 200 batons. When asked whether the police would use water cannons against the protesters/rioters, the police officer said no such decision had been taken so far.

However, he said arranging 300 containers would be difficult in a short span of time.

Published in Dawn October 24th, 2016