LAHORE: Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has ordered foolproof security arrangements for the long march of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) from Wazirabad to Rawalpindi.

Chairing a meeting that included PTI leaders here on Tuesday, he said snipers should be deputed on rooftops of the buildings along the route and 15,000 personnel connected with a control room should be deployed on the route round the clock. Besides this number, he added, additional force should be called from other districts to beef up security in Rawalpindi.

The CM sought monitoring of the long march with drone cameras and a two-tier security ring for the participants. He stressed use of a bulletproof container, rostrum and glass on the container for the PTI leadership, saying that the Punjab government would provide all possible support for the purpose.

Mr Parvez said the accomplices of the suspect who threatened to kill Imran Khan in Hafizabad should also be brought to justice.

Stresses bulletproof container for PTI leadership; orders drone cameras, snipers

The meeting was attended by PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Asad Umar and Umar Ayub as well as Moonis Elahi and Hussain Elahi.

It reviewed the security arrangements for the long march that would start on Thursday. Police authorities briefed the participants on the proposed security plan for the long march.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Qureshi said he did not criticise the police department but expressed concerns about an individual. Imran Khan thanked the police twice for the excellent security arrangements in Gujranwala, he added and clarified that there was an attempt on the life of Imran Khan and the delay in registration of the FIR (first information report) caused public concerns and questions were raised over it. He said the FIR lodged at last had been rejected by everyone.

Mahmoodur Rasheed, Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Chief Secretary Abdullah Sumbal, Additional Chief Secretary (home) Asadullah Khan, Addl IG (SB), Punjab Addl IG (Operations), Lahore CCPO, Addl IG CTD, Gujrat Division commissioner, Punjab DIG (Operations), Gujrat RPO, DCs and DPOs of Gujrat, Sialkot, Wazirabad and Hafizabad were present while the Rawalpindi Division commissioner, RPO, CPO and DC and the Jhelum DPO joined it through a video link.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2022