ISLAMABAD: After a gap of almost two years, police pickets have returned to the capital, apparently to counter the PTI’s possible long march.

However, the police claimed that the pickets were set up for security purposes and to check criminal activities and terrorism.

Police officers said 18 pickets had been established on different roads till further orders. One picket each is set up at Dongi Kasi Murree Road, Adventure Inn Murree Road, G-14 Srinagar Highway, Dhowk Kashmirian G-11, Project Mor, Khayber Chowk, Faizabad at Expressway, I-8/4 Double Road, Wheat Godown, I-10/1, I-10/4, Rawat T-Cross, Khanna Bridge and Tramri Chowk.

A team of 10 personnel from the FC along with three police officials have been deployed at each picket, they added.

Likewise, pickets were also established at Niswar Chowk Margalla Road, Ibn-i-Sina Road G-9/3, Margalla Road and Chistiabad I-14. A team, comprising five FC personnel and three policemen were deployed at each picket.

In December 2020, as many as 21 pickets in different parts of the capital, including Faizabad, Golra and around the Red Zone, were removed under the directives of the then interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

He was of the view that suspects could be checked with modern technology instead of establishing checkpoints and conducting checking of vehicles in queues.

H had said: “Now people will not be humiliated at police checkposts.”

However, three pickets around Red Zone, including Khayaban-i-Suharwardy and Margalla Road remained active.

In 2007, over 100 pickets were established in the capital due to an increase in terrorism, including suicide bombing, the officers said, adding these pickets were set up in three rings — the most inner cordon for the Red Zone, inner cordon and the outer cordon for the entry points.

The officers admitted that the police checkposts remained a ‘showpiece’ in the past as neither any terrorist nor criminal was arrested at any of the picket. Rather, a number of pickets were attacked by terrorists and criminals.

Published in Dawn, October 23th, 2022