Section 144 imposed in Islamabad for two months
Zubair Qureshi
District Magistrate of Islamabad on Tuesday imposed Section 144 in the federal capital prohibiting assembly of five or more people and any religious or political gatherings.
The step has been taken to meet any untoward incident in the wake of the ‘Azaadi March’ announced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to be held on Wednesday (today) on the Srinagar Highway at 3.00 p.m.
Section 144 bans gatherings of five or more people and bans any religious or political gathering. With imposition of the Section 144, Islamabad has come under a thick security blanket and main roads connecting the city with rest of the country have been blocked in order to prevent entrance of the workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
Moreover, in order to meet any emergency in the possible clashes between the PTI protesters and to provide quick medical aid, emergency has been imposed in the three main public-sector hospitals of Islamabad the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS), Federal Polyclinic Hospitals, CDA Hospital.
According to a notification, all the staff including DEDs, AEDs, Specialists/MOs, HOs, Nursing Staff, Blood Bank officers will remain accessible and available to reach the hospital immediately in case of emergency/on call from the hospital.
The hospital staff has been directed not to leave the station without prior permission and arrange sufficient quantities of Oxygen in the hospital.
The hospitals have been directed to keep extra beds ready to accommodate people in case of emergency. Besides, police and district administration officials have also been put on standby and the district administration has cancelled their vacation in order to meet an emergent situation.
The police and the district administration have devised alternate plans either to allow the PTI marchers to enter the capital or intercept them at the entry points and are ready for them both.
Extra troops from riots police, Punjab police and reserved personnel have also been called in to be deployed in and around the Red Zone and the Constitution Avenue.
According to Plan ‘A’ though the government will allow the PTI to enter the capital but the marchers will not be allowed to cross Zero Point.
As many as 500 containers have been given to police, extra security personnel sought from provinces to deal with marchers, say police officers
Faizabad, Bhara Kahu, Rawat and Golra are sealed by putting containers and deployment of police.
The plan ‘B’ will be executed in case the government does not allow the PTI to enter the capital. Under this plan, all entry points will be sealed and the marchers will be intercepted on Attock and Jhelum bridges.
Besides, the motorways and G.T. Road will be blocked and PTI’s local leaders, hardcore activists and workers will be arrested.
In this regard, a list has been prepared containing over 400 local leaders, activists and workers.
