LAHORE: Police claimed on Saturday to have arrested three suspects on the route of the rally of the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The suspects were arrested by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of police who were deputed to provide security to the rally.

The CTD team first arrested a suspect, Kamran, and recovered a pistol from his custody and later on his indication arrested two of his accomplices.

The police team shifted the suspects, yet to be identified, to some undisclosed location for further interrogation.

More than 10,000 policemen were deployed for the security of the rally of Mr Sharif.

On Friday night, the Rangers, CTD and police personnel during a search operation in and around the route of the rally also arrested 31 suspects.

Tight security: Police authorities on Saturday increased deployment of security personnel in the city division to facilitate former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s procession and public address.

Police blocked all roads and streets leading to the main road from Bhati Chowk to Shahdara, restricting hundreds of people to their homes.

More than 5,000 police personnel, including Elite commandos, had been deputed until Friday night to provide security cover to the main cavalcade and public meeting of the former premier from Shahdara to Bhati Chowk. Some more police reserves were deployed on Saturday.

Senior police officers, including the capital city police officer and the operations deputy inspector general, held some sessions to brief the security personnel about the standard operating procedures for the rally. They inspected the rooftop deployment, security arrangements alongside the main route and the patrolling squads.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2017