RAWALPINDI: As many as 2,000 Punjab Constabulary personnel have been called to assist Rawalpindi police to maintain order during the public gatherings of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the opposition parties on March 27 and 28, respectively, in the adjacent federal capital.

Besides, the army, Rangers and police, 1,000 anti-riot police will also be available with Islamabad police.

According to sources, the Rawalpindi police had requested the Central Police Office for the 2,000 extra personnel to assist its 8,000 regular officials to maintain peace on March 28.

Besides, 1,000 additional anti-riot police with two armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and five Punjab police prison vans have been called from Punjab to assist the Islamabad police on the occasion of voting on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, opposition rallies and the long march.

In this regard, a letter has been sentby the AIG operations to the principal of the police training schools Rawalpindi and Sargodha, the SSP motor transport branch Lahore and the commandant of the Punjab Constabulary at Farooqabad.

The letter said the force/equipment will report at Police Lines, Islamabad on March 24 at 10am.

The inspector general of police (IGP) has directed that a liaison officer be deputed to coordinate with the borrowing units and arrangements for safe and adequate accommodation, food and welfare of the force shall be made by the Islamabad police.

“The welfare of the force shall not be compromised. The fuel cost for transportation shall be provided by the ICT police,” the directive said.

It said 400 police personnel from Police Training School Rawalpindi and 600 from Police Training School Sargodha will be on duty at the Islamabad Police Lines Headquarters.

The Islamabad police will provide the facility of transporting the extra police personnel from the Police Training School Rawalpindi to Islamabad. Punjab police will provide transportation for the extra police from Sargodha to Islamabad.

The capital administration has granted permission to PTI to hold its public meeting at Parade Ground in Shakarparian on March 27 whereas the opposition parties can arrange their public gathering at a plot adjacent to the weekly bazaar near Peshawar Mor the next day.

Meanwhile, Regional Police Officer Ashfaq Ahmad Khan and City Police Officer Omer Saeed Malik chaired separate meetings to review security and law and order situation.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2022