ISLAMABAD: The capital police have asked the government for a grant of Rs70 million in order to meet the expenses in connection with the protest by religious parties, police officials told Dawn.

The grant sought has been estimated for seven days only, the officials said, adding additional grants may be required if the protest is prolonged.

The Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasoolullah Pakistan and Sunni Tehreek have announced to hold a rally from Lahore to Islamabad.The rally is scheduled to reach Islamabad on Tuesday. The participants have planned to stage a sit-in in the capital.

The grant was sought by the Central Police Office (CPO) after a demand was made by the senior superintendent of police (logistics).

Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasoolullah Pakistan and Sunni Tehreek to bring rallies to Islamabad from Lahore today

“Various religious parties have announced a protest on 06.11.2017, there is an apprehension that protest may create law and order situation in ICT,” the SSP’s demand reads.

He said the police had to provide lodging, food and transportation to the police officials deployed on security duties and for the placement of containers.

“As available resources of ICT police are limited, therefore supplementary grant of Rs70.495 million may please be got sanctioned on priority basis so that adequate security arrangements could be made,” the SSP stated.Giving a breakdown of the expenses to be incurred, he said Rs14.56 million were required for hiring vehicles and containers, Rs5.512 million for fuel, Rs4.48 million for renting residential buildings, Rs2 million for miscellaneous expenses and Rs43.943 for food.

The CPO requested the interior ministry to approach the finance minister for the provision of additional funds through a supplementary grant.

According to police officials, the Punjab government has turned down the capital police’s request for a contingent of 4,000 personnel, saying they were performing duties in Lahore for the urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, in Nankana Sahib for the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, Raiwind for the tablighi ijtima and all over the province for majalis in connection with the chehlum of Imam Hussein.

The Punjab police have said the capital police already had a contingent of 596 personnel of the Punjab Constabulary and that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir police were yet to reply to the capital police’s request for 1,000 personnel. The capital police also have about 2,244 Frontier Corps personnel.

Officers of the capital administration said Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasoolullah Pakistan and Sunni Tehreek were yet to seek a no-objection certificate for the rally.

They said negotiations were underway with the religious parties and that no agreements had so far been reached.

The police officials Dawn talked to said it had been decided that the protestors would not be allowed inside the Red Zone which would be sealed and that force would also be used to stop them from entering the area if need be.

They said directives from the government were awaited for allowing them into the city and that it was not yet clear if they would only be allowed in Parade Ground.

“Preparations have been made to deal with any situation,” a police official added.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2017