ISLAMABAD: The capital has been divided into A, B, C and D sectors for security purposes for the opposition parties’ public meeting and the National Assembly session on Monday.

Officials of the capital police told Dawn that areas along both sides of Srinagar Highway, where the public gathering was scheduled to be held, had been placed in A, B, C sectors while Red Zone, where National Assembly was located, was in D sector.

As many as 1,229 personnel, including two SSPs, four SPs, eight ASPs/DSPs, 13 inspectors and 238 other officials of the capital police along with 360 personnel of Frontier Constabulary, 212 personnel of Rangers and 390 personnel of Punjab Constabulary have been deployed in A, B, C sectors.

Three platoons of the anti-riot unit (ARU), comprising 36 personnel, along with a dozen personnel of Rangers, 10 officials of Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and 18 other officials and two quick response force vehicles of Rangers, two vehicles of CTD and two ambulances are also part of the security for the public meeting.

They said 18 officials of the ARU had also been deployed near the stage area, adding two platoons of the ARU had been deployed between the stage and the public gathering.

A platoon of the ARU, comprising 18 personnel, has been deployed at the VIP entry point near the weekly bazaar, where walk-through gates were also being installed.

Four platoon of the Punjab police and FC are also being deployed in front of a nursery at H-9 and the weekly bazaar. A platoon of the ARU, comprising 20 personnel, is being deployed for patrolling inside the weekly bazaar.

The sector B comprises the area along Srinagar Highway from Peshawar Mor to KRL Hospital side, Srinagar Highway at Islamabad High Court side, Khyber Chowk and Ninth Avenue, the officials said. Four platoons along with the ARU of Punjab Constabulary and FC are being deployed there. Besides, a blockade was also made at the high court side, Khyber Chowk and Ninth Avenue.

A picket has also been established at Tarnol Railway crossing where a platoon of the ARU, comprising 18 personnel, have been deployed.

The Sector C comprises Peshawar Mor near the old passport office, AGPR office and Rescue 15, where 150 personnel of Rangers and 11 of the ARU are being deployed, the officials said, adding containers were also put at the old passport and AGPR offices.

The Sector D comprises Serena Hotel Chowk, Nadra Headquarters Chowk, Radio Pakistan Chowk, Express Chowk, Fata House, Secretariat Chowk, Marriott Hotel Chowk, Margalla Road, Gulshan-i-Jinnah, Globe Chowk , Third Road, Bari Imam T-Cross. A platoon of the ARU and FC personnel were deployed at each spot, besides placing containers at Serena Chowk, Nadra Chowk, Express Chowk, Fata House Chowk and Marriott Chowk.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022