Capital’s red zone sealed ahead of ‘potentially volatile gatherings’

• Local administration again cancels NOC issued to PTI for public meeting at Tarnol
• Several arrested as party vows to go ahead with its planned Jalsa
• Activists of religious groups directed to reach SC

ISLAMABAD: The nearly five-month struggle of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) met a similar fate on Wednesday when the capital administration revoked its no-objection certificate (NOC) barely 24 hours before the scheduled public gathering in Tarnol on Thursday (today).

PTI Islamabad President Amir Mughal, however, said they would go ahead with the public meeting despite cancellation of the NOC. “The administration has canceled the NOC but not the jalsa,” he added.

The PTI has been attempting to hold a public meeting in Islamabad since March, but the capital administration has repeatedly used delaying tactics to issue permission.

This is for the second time the capital administration has cancelled the NOC issued to PTI for holding public gathering in Tarnol.

Earlier, in July, the administration cancelled the NOC issued to PTI to hold the gathering in Tarnol.

Following cancellation of the NOC issued by the office of the deputy commissioner on July 31, the Chief Commissioner Office issued an order stating that a meeting of the Federal Capital Intelligence Coordination Committee was held under the chairmanship of the chief commissioner on Wednesday to consider and resolve the growing concerns regarding law and order situation prevailing in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by the inspector general of Islamabad police (IGP), deputy commissioner and senior officers from the Chief Commissioner’s Office, capital police as well as representatives from the ISI, MI and IB, the order added.

The committee also deliberated on the matter of a political public meeting organised by the PTI scheduled to be held at Tarnol on Aug 22, for which an NOC had been issued by the deputy commissioner.

When assessment of institutional capacity of the capital police was sought, the IGP stressed that with the available resources, it would be difficult for the police to maintain security as multiple events were simultaneously taking place in Islamabad, it said.

The order said the police chief mentioned that a call for protest had also been given by Tehreek-i-Khatam-i-Nabuwat for Thursday in front of the Supreme Court when the review petition in Mubarak Ahmed Sani case would be taken up. Different political parties and groups would be participating in the protest.

The IGP also highlighted the recent breach of security in Red Zone whereby an FIR had also been registered against the protesters, the order said, adding that furthermore, the Bangladesh cricket team was in Islamabad which also required enhanced security of the players.

The IGP further informed the meeting that it was expected that people coming to join the rally planned to stay over a prolonged period as they had brought with them items such as teargas masks, bedding or sleeping bags as well as food items, the order said, adding that it was expected that the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement and Sunni Tehreek would also join the PTI’s protest.

The order mentioned that the IGP had suggested to the chief commissioner that other provinces, particularly Punjab, should be instructed to prevent participants from entering Islamabad and no gatherings should be allowed under the current situation.

The Special Branch representative also endorsed these concerns, and reiterated that under the prevailing law and order situation, it was unsafe to issue an NOC for the PTI rally.

Furthermore, the representatives of ISI, MI and IB expressed security concerns, citing the law and order situation, threat alerts, the presence of the Bangladesh cricket team and recent disturbances caused by Khatam-i-Nabuwat rallies in the Red Zone.

Considering the opinions of the law enforcement agencies, and after reviewing the situation, the chief commissioner reached the conclusion that the current law and order situation in Islamabad did not permit holding of such a gathering in Islamabad on Aug 22 which necessitated the cancellation of the NOC granted by the deputy commissioner on July 31.

“Therefore, having concluded the matter through the instant order announced in presence of all concerned, I, Mohammad Ali Randhawa, Chief Commissioner ICT deem it expedient in the public interest to suspend the NOC issued on July 31 by the Deputy Commissioner, with immediate effect and till further orders,” the order concluded.

After cancellation of the NOC, police contingents also reached the venue of the public gathering at Tarnol Chowk and picked up over two dozen people present there, including those who were engaged in preparations, police sources said, adding that a suspicious bag was also found from a mosque adjacent to the venue.

The bag was unclaimed and during inquiry it was revealed that it was lying inside the mosque since morning, they said, adding that the mosque was vacated and bomb disposal squad was called.

A man was also taken into custody from the spot and shifted to an undisclosed location, they added.

Meanwhile, the capital police arranged over 400 containers to seal the capital including Red Zone’s entry points except one from Margalla Road.

Besides, containers were placed along the roadside at Faizabad, Chungi No 26, Rawat and Bhara Kahu, police sources said, adding that the containers would be put in place to seal the capital sometime after midnight or early Thursday morning.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2024