ISLAMABAD: Police stations have begun taking riot gear from armories while police prepare for a confrontation with protesters scheduled to arrive in the capital later this month.
Islamabad has not witnessed violent street protests since the end of 2017 and the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) 2017 riot team given by the United States has been stored since then, authorities said.
They added that the police are preparing for the Azadi March, announced by Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
Riot equipment taken from the armories so that personnel can repair, familiarize themselves with the equipment
According to high-ranking police officers, the four zonal officials have issued directives to subdivided police officers to clean up the riot kits that are stored in the police in their jurisdiction. They have also been asked to repair any equipment that is damaged.
Officers said the City, Saddar and Rural areas have six police stations each, while the Industrial Area zone contains four. Each area has between 200 and 300 riot kits, and officials have been asked to familiarize themselves with the handling, repair and use of the equipment.
Police got involved for the last time in riot activities against the long weeks of waiting for the TLP in the Faizabad exchange in 2017, which almost stopped the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Officers said a massive riot operation conducted at that time by the four-sided police with the Riot Unit and the Anti-Terror Squadron failed.
At the request of the police in the capital, the administration has requested assistance from the Ministry of Interior in the form of labor and finance to deal with the progress of Azadi.
Police and administration officials said around 10,000 police officers in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Railways have been searched for the march. A contingent of Rangers and the Border Police has also been requested.
In addition, 50 million rupees have been sought to cover the costs of transportation, meals and staff accommodation, as well as to make other arrangements, such as shipping containers to seal areas such as the Red Zone.
They added that the budget has been estimated for labor for fifteen days.
Previously, the Central Police Office was considering requesting the same amount of staff and the same amount of money requested during the 2014 PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek sit-in, but that demand was truncated because the KP and Punjab police also have to deal with Protesters in their province.
The capital administration and the police have asked their counterparts in KP and Punjab to intercept the leaders, activists and workers of the JUI-F at their limits along with any possible participants at the district level.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations, Waqaruddin Syed, told Dawn that about 10,000 Punjab, KP and AJK officials were requested, as well as a contingent of FC and Rangers.
Meanwhile, the JUI-F will submit another application with the administration of the capital in search of permission for the march from October 31 onwards.
Supreme Court attorney Kamran Murtaz, who filed the same request previously on behalf of Sen. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidir, told Dawn that the march will begin on March 27 and arrive in the capital on October 31 or later. He said he will submit another application on Monday seeking permission.
The authorities told Dawn that the departments concerned are examining the request, but so far no decision has been made because there are no clarifications. However, they requested that D-Chowk's place be changed because it is located in the Red Zone, they said.
Posted on Dawn, October 13, 2019
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1510522/islamabad-police-ready-themselves-for-azadi-marchers