ISLAMABAD: “My hands are tied otherwise we would have overthrown this so called fake fortress made from containers,” said Rehman, who was among the first batch of PTI workers to cross over to behind the stage set up by his party at Aabpara.

Around five in the evening on Sunday, there was a bizarre incident at the quiet site (till then) of the PTI dharna as its workers tried to break through the line of defence established by the police and move closer to the Red Zone.

The move came after a late night warning from Imran Khan who had on Saturday said that he would not be able to control his workers for long and that they might enter the Red Zone.

This is why initially those watching assumed that the workers were following Khan’s orders.

However, it was far from clear who triggered the move as the PTI leaders deny instigating the workers. Contrary to their denial, the workers claimed that the leaders had said that stage will be set up near the Red Zone.

Armed with heavy sticks and long batons, the PTI wallahs began by throwing stones and empty water bottles at the containers that were blocking the Kashmir Highway just after the Aabpara intersection. These containers set the line that the PTI was not supposed to cross.

Soon the crowd swelled and the workers managed to cut off and remove the barbed wires. They then ran towards the police which formed the first defensive line.

The appeals by PTI MNA Asad Umar to remain calm went unheard.

The police maintained their cool as they stood close to the Embassy Road intersection on Kashmir Highway.

The spot was chosen to discourage any attacks; not only were containers placed on top of each other, the one on top housed police personnel who used it as a look out spot. In addition concrete blocks had been placed behind the containers.

The personnel of Punjab police, Islamabad police and Islamabad police commandos were stationed nearby while scores of Islamabad police personnel in riot gear were standing behind the containers.

However, before the situation could escalate further, ICT officers appeared on the situation and announced that the administration had allowed PTI to move further down the Highway and set up their stage roughly opposite the Margalla Hotel.

At the same time, the PTI leaders, who had earlier tried to stop the workers from attacking the containers, reached the new spot in a truck and began playing party songs.

This appeared to calm the workers.

PTI MNA Ayesha Gulalai told Dawn that none of them would allow the workers to take the law in their hands.

Talking to media PTI spokesman Naeemul Haq had said that after consultations Imran Khan had decided not to enter the Red Zone and promised to keep the march peaceful.

In a further twist to the tale, later in the evening, it emerged that the chief commissioner wrote to Mr Khan, warning that he should not violate the agreement with the district administration.

On the other hand, the police on the basis of anonymity tried to explain that the distance the PTI workers covered was with official consent though he failed to explain why the move appeared like a mob out of control, which the PTI leadership tried to control initially.

“The stage which was being used by the PTI at Kashmir Avenue was brought by Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, as the containers the party had originally intended to use, was left behind in Gujranwala,” he said.

He explained that the container reached Islamabad from Gujranwala on Sunday and the party decided to bring it to the rally site. “At this stage, the party moved the site further down the Kashmir Highway,” he claimed.

Yet the district administration felt the need to remind Mr Khan of the written agreement that PTI will not try to enter the Red Zone.

“Mr Khan has been requested to ensure implementation of the written agreement,” he said.

In addition, Minister of Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has called in another 10,000 police officials for the security of the capital, especially the Red Zone.

An official of the interior ministry said that 30,000 officials were already deployed in the city.

“Securing the Red Zone and the Diplomatic Enclave’s security is international obligation,” he said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muhammad Ali Nekokara told Dawn that the PTI had been given permission to move its stage closer to the Red Zone with the assurance that they will not move any further.

“The police will push them back if they try to move further down the Kashmir Highway,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2014