RAWALPINDI: Troops were called in this evening [Nov 8] in parts of Rawalpindi city to control the situation following two days of mob rioting. Announcing this, the Commissioner of Rawalpindi, Mr Ahmad Raza Khan, told a Press conference this evening that the step had been taken because the Police force was found to be “inadequate” in view of the “tactics” adopted by the miscreants throughout the day today.

He said dusk-to-dawn curfew with effect from this evening had also been imposed in the city area for an indefinite period. The curfew, prohibiting the movement of citizens outside their houses would be lifted when the situation normalised, he added.

The Commissioner said a sufficient number of troops would be available to aid the civil power. The trouble-makers who started demonstrations yesterday seemed to have been joined today by the children and “riff raff” elements. “We are going to be strict with them. We will not give them a long rope,” he added. Answering questions, the Commissioner said that the Adminis­tration could not tell at the moment who the people were who incited the trouble-makers but they would be rounded up “whosoever they may be”. He was asked whether these people were political elements. He replied “may be”. — Agency

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2018