Unusual security arrangements have been put in place in the federal capital, Islamabad, ahead of a series of protest marches and sit-ins planned by various parties, including Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
More than 23,000 security personnel will be deployed across Islamabad, while shipping containers have been positioned along major and minor roads leading into the capital and can be moved to block roads if required.
The Red Zone, which houses key government installations and foreign embassies, has been completely sealed.
According to sources, Islamabad Police had sought more than 1,000 shipping containers to secure the Red Zone, high-security areas and the city’s entry and exit points.
Reports have also emerged of thousands of containers, trucks, trailers and other heavy vehicles being taken into custody in Islamabad and Rawalpindi for use in blocking roads if necessary.
Among the protests planned in the coming days, the most prominent is the PTI’s long march to Islamabad on September 27.
Jamaat-e-Islami and the Pakistan Farmers Alliance, along with several other groups, have also announced protests in the capital. Jamaat-e-Islami has called on its workers from across the country to converge on Islamabad to demand the abolition of the petroleum levy.
The government has also launched a crackdown on PTI leaders and workers ahead of the march.
All three of Imran Khan’s sisters Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi have been detained, while several PTI lawmakers and other frontline leaders have also been arrested or detained.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has repeatedly warned PTI against proceeding with the march, saying the government will prevent any group from entering Islamabad on September 27 and that strict action will be taken against those attempting to disrupt public order.
The heightened security measures recall the PTI’s November 26, 2024, long march, when dozens of clashes were reported between security forces and protesters. Four Rangers personnel were killed, while conflicting claims were made about the number of protesters killed.
Rawalpindi Police has requested an additional 9,000 personnel to reinforce its local force. More than 30,000 security personnel will also be deployed in Attock, a key route between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. Police from various districts, along with the Punjab Constabulary and other forces, are being sent to the area.
In Islamabad, the district administration has taken control of 54 government schools and educational institutions to accommodate additional police personnel. These include Islamabad Model Schools, Model Colleges and girls’ and boys’ model schools across various sectors and suburban areas of the capital.
Police and Frontier Corps personnel arriving from other districts are also being accommodated in government buildings, colleges, sports complexes, marriage halls and police stations. The use of educational institutions to house security personnel has disrupted normal academic activities.
Major government hospitals in Islamabad have been placed on high alert, with arrangements made for blood supplies, medicines, ambulances and emergency beds.
The government says routine civic activities will not be unnecessarily disrupted, but has warned that action will be taken against anyone violating the law or attempting to disrupt public order.
