ISLAMABAD: Capital police sought 30,000 police personnel from provinces and paramilitary forces to ward off PTI’s expected protest, long march and sit-in, sources told Dawn.

Senior police officers said police were sought from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite an impression that they would refuse to spare them.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan had recently announced that he would give a call for protest in the next two weeks, they said, adding that the step was being taken as a precaution.

The police officers said the request was made to the provinces in response to directives from politicians ruling the country. However, no response has so far been received from the provinces, they added.

The officers said a contingent of 20,000 personnel was requested from Punjab, 4,000 from KP while 6,000 personnel was asked from Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC).

A contingent of 3,000 FC personnel is already present in the capital and were asked to assist the capital police, they officers said.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022