Observer Report
Islamabad
The federal government has prepared alan to thwart Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-F’s Azadi March which is said to begin on October 27 and in this regard a control room has been set up at the interior ministry.
Further, authorities have placed containers at the bridge connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab to thwart movement of the marchers. Authorities are also waiting for the interior ministry’s decision on whether the bridge should be closed or not. Police have started using trailers to place containers at the bridge. In Islamabad, police arrested two leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F, Maulana Shafiq-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Irshad from Shams Colony along with banners for the JUI-F sit-in in their possession, on Monday and a case was lodged against them by the police.
Police allege that the duo were urging people to participate in the Azaadi March being organised by the JUI-F against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Police officials say that a few people were spotted putting up banners for the JUI-F sit-in, but fled as soon as the police force started chasing them.
Police say the suspects had challenged the administration by putting up banners despite the fact that Section 144 had been imposed in the area. Earlier, it was reported that the government had decided in principal to prevent the sit-in (dharna) by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F in federal capital.
The government decided to stop the sit-in even if it had to go for detention of top leadership of JUI-F, including its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Meanwhile, a case was registered against two JUI-F leaders in Landhi, Karachi, for collecting funds forcefully for the party’s Azadi March.
