ISLAMABAD: After sit-in was called off by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the participants started leaving the venue on Wednesday.

However, the security arrangements will remain in place with slight relaxation, sources told Dawn.

As the protesters have started returning to their hometown, the provinces police asked the capital police to return his manpower.

In a letter written to the capital police chief by Assistant Inspector General of Police Operations for Provincial Police Officer Punjab said: “It is requested that 1,012 officials of Punjab police currently placed at the disposal of ICT police may be relieved forthwith with the directions to report to their parent districts today Nov 13.”

Provinces want their police personnel back

The officials said a same demand came from the Khyber Paktunkhwa police.

The officials of the capital administration and police told Dawn that they were closely monitoring the activities of the participants leaving from the venue. The strategy to counter Plan B will be made according to the situation, they added.

“It is expected that all the protesters may leave the capital by Thursday afternoon,” they said, adding the administration has decided to remove containers from Kashmir Highway and open it for general public as soon as possible.

The containers placed on other roads, except for the Red Zone, may also be removed by Thursday evening, they said, adding that it was under consideration to keep the containers on roadside for few more days.

Meanwhile, intelligence gathering is in progress to identify possible points in the capital, where the JUI-F may stage sit-ins, they said, adding that so far the JUI-F had not given any lockdown plan for the capital.

Leaders, supporters and workers of the JUI-F of the twin cities are likely to block roads in Islamabad and Rawalpindi at Golra, Rawat, Bhara Kahu, Expressway, Murree Road and I.J. Principal Road.

The possible blockade points inside the city are inter-changes, including Faizabad, Kural, Zero Point, and Peshawar Mor, the officials said.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2019