Containers, prison vans, police contingents deployed on main routes across Pindi division
RAWALPINDI:
As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Rawalpindi division announced a complete strike and rallies to be taken out in the evening, the police moved to enforce section 144.
Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema immediately moved to ban rallies, sloganeering, aerial firing under Section 144 yesterday, when PTI announced rallies in all six districts of Rawalpindi, appealing party workers to march to protect the Constitution of Pakistan.
In a move to thwart the call for the strike and rallies, the police raided all the cities in the division, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Tala Gang, Marri, Kotli Sattian, arresting 11 party workers. However, the police failed to arrest any of the central leaders as major raids proved unsuccessful. Expecting the raids, the party leaders had taken steps to avoid getting arrested.
PTI has planned to take out rallies at 9pm from Murree Road, Rawal Road, Pirwadhai, Saddar and Chandni Chowk. Police of all police stations have been deployed at important intersections of all six districts of the division including Rawalpindi. Police commandos along with female police have been stationed. All seven prison vehicles bringing the accused to court from Adiala Jail and armoured vehicles have also been parked on Murree Road. Containers have been placed at busy intersections and drones will be used to monitor the protesters.
The police’s leaves have been cancelled, and a precautionary emergency has been imposed in hospitals across the city, where all doctors are expected to be present.
Police have been placed on alert on all routes and intersections from 7am to 12am. Anti-riots forces have also been deployed.
However, PTI workers have remained absent throughout the day and are expected to show up at the rallies in the evening at their designated places. PTI candidate for National Assembly Shehryar Riaz and central leader candidate for Provincial Assembly Ziad Khaliq Kayani have said that according to the appeal of the Movement for the Protection of the Constitution, they will go on a complete strike in Rawalpindi. “February 8 is the day the elections were stolen. On this day, we will stay at home and vehicles will remain parked. The whole nation will protest vigorously,” they said.
Addressing the workers’ meeting separately, both the leaders echoed that a complete strike would represent the voice of the nation.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman endorsed the PTI call by cancelling his own protest scheduled for February 8.
