ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has once again applied for permission to hold its Azadi March in the capital, informing the administration that the march will be held from Oct 31 onwards.

The party submitted its application to the office of the district magistrate through advocate Kamran Murtaz, the counsel of JUI-F General Secretary Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, capital administration officials said.

They added that the application sought permission to hold the Azadi March at D-Chowk from Oct 31 onwards.

It said the JUI-F would begin its march on Oct 27 from different cities in exercise of its democratic and constitutional rights. The various rallies will meet in Islamabad and continue the march at D-Chowk.

Police ask KP counterparts for information on baton-wielding force; seek riot gear in preparation

The Azadi March will be led by JUI-F Emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman. It will include senior party leadership and workers and supporters, the application said.

The party had submitted a similar application to the chief commissioner’s office on Oct 8, but did not receive a response.

The new application said: “You are, therefore, requested to grant permission to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) to hold the rally at D-Chowk and also kindly make the necessary security arrangements.”

Officials said a decision on the application has not yet been made and it is being examined by the concerned officers.

The police’s Special Branch has also reached out to their counterparts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for information on a baton-wielding force connected to the party.

“We are interested in getting the number of people on the force, and the training they are getting,” an officer said, adding that some videos of the force’s preparations have gone viral on social media.

Some of the details collected from the KP police suggest that the force consists of 1,000 to 3,000 men, with numbers still increasing, he said.

The Islamabad police are waiting for a final and concrete report.

The police are also preparing to counter this force and have approached the chief commissioner’s office to arrange millions of rupees worth of riot gear, the officer said. This gear includes long and short range teargas shells, rubber bullets, shields, polo sticks and gas masks.

The chief commissioner’s office in turn has approached the interior minister to release funds to buy this equipment, he said.

Special Branch officials are also collecting information by increasing surveillance of seminaries, police officials said. There are 329 seminaries operating in the capital, 207 of which the JUI-F is expected to receive support from.

More than 28,000 students are enrolled in these seminaries, officials said, and around 5,000 students and teachers so far have committed to participating in the march.

Local JUI-F leaders are also holding meetings, officials said. Information collected on these meetings has revealed that JUI-F leaders and workers may stay in the capital for a couple of days.

Inspector General of Police Mohammad Amir Zulfikar, Deputy Inspector General of Police Operation Waqaruddin Syed and Assistant Inspector General of Police Special Branch Mohammad Suleman could not be reached for comment.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2019