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Army to assist civil administration during Azadi March

Army will be called in to assist the civil administration during the Azadi March of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)

By Khalid Iqbal & Shakeel Anjum
October 31, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Army will be called in to assist the civil administration during the Azadi March of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

More: March a movement for reforms, not a sit-in, says Fazl

It was decided at a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Interior on Wednesday with secretary interior in the chair. Army troops would be deployed in the third tier of the inner circle of the security, Rangers will be positioned in the second tier and the police force will be posted in the front tier of security, said a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

Related: Mystery surrounds next plan of protest after Oct 31 show

In case of any untoward development, the force will move to act to maintain law and order, the meeting decided. The government will cooperate with the pact abiding people, the spokesman said.

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The meeting reviewed the security plan made to keep order during the protest of the JUI-F. Entry into the Red Zone will be strictly prohibited as it was decided in the pact duly signed between the district administration and representatives of the JUI-F.

Non-custom paid vehicles and carrying arms and ammunition will also be proscribed. A strategy of checking illegal vehicles as well as weapons would be set up to counter illegal activities, the meeting decided. The strategy will also be shared with the JUI-F leadership.

To ease the residents of Islamabad and its surrounding areas, a comprehensive traffic plan will be issued and publicised through print and electronic media. The protesting mob will be allowed to enter Islamabad through the prescribed roads and no other way could be used for the entry.

The capital city will be under blockade today as planned by the JUI-F, while law enforcement agencies are all set to counter the marchers’ endeavour of blocking the city.

Containers have been placed on roads after which the capital city has been effectively separated from other parts of the country. All roads leading to Islamabad will be blocked with containers, while the Rawalpindi Police and administration will build an iron-wall around the borderline of Rawalpindi andIslamabad, the interior ministry connivers said.

The borrowed forces -- Rangers, Punjab and Frontier Constabularies, AJK Police and other segments of law enforcement agencies have landed and positioned at different points of the city, the sources said, and added that heavy contingents of Rangers and constabularies have been deployed at Margallah Hill, while military troops will positioned at sensitive buildings and installations.

Over 550 shipping containers have been placed in and around Islamabad, about 100 are yet to be placed at different points and roads. “Shipping containers will be strongly fixed and could not be removed as it would be filled with debris and terracotta,” sources said. Barbed wires will also be laid to barricade the mule-tracks and breadths between the containers, the sources said.

“Though, the prime minister has warned that strict action would be taken if the agreement signed with the government negotiation team was violated by the Azadi March organisers and participants, the government has revisited the decision, devising its strategy against the JUI-F Azadi March and planned that use of force will be their last option if protesters create anarchy,” the Interior Ministry sources said.

The federal capital would be protected by the force of over 11,000 policemen equipped with anti-riot apparatus with the assistance of 4,000 personnel, including paramilitary forces, borrowed from different provinces,” they maintained, adding that overall 21,000 force have been deployed in and outside Islamabad to ensure peace. More or less 10,000 personnel of police as well as paramilitary forces will be deployed in Rawalpindi to keep the mob away from the city.

“It has been decided to take strict action against the JUI-F mob if they tried to enter Red Zone and other sensitive installations and force will be used to block them away from the sensitive areas,” the sources said. Top leadership of the JUI-F, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, could be detained under 16 MPO if the mob creates anarchy, the ministry said, concluding that law and order would be maintained at every cost.

Khalid Iqbal adds: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has issued traffic diversion plan during Azadi March to ensure public mobility.

According to traffic diversion plan, Azadi March participants coming from KP could park their vehicles at both sides of Kashmir Highway and G/9 turn. Similarly, those coming from Lahore through GT Road could park their vehicles at 9th Avenue Service Road.

Those want to travel in between Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been advised to use Chungi No 26 Flyover, Mehrabad, Pirwdahi, IJP Road, Faizabad, Murree Road, Expressway and Faisal Avenue. Traffic diversion from Haji Camp Chowk to Islamabad Chowk is that those want to travel in between Rawalpindi and Islamabad must use Chungi No 26 Flyover, Mehrabad, Pirwdahi, IJP Road, Faizabad, Murree Road, Expressway and Faisal Avenue.

Traffic coming from Haji Camp Chowk will be diverted to IJP Road. Those who want to go to Peshawar Motorway and New Islamabad Airport could use G-11, G-10 and G-9 Service Road. They will go to Kashmir Highway via G-11 Signal. Those who want to go to Murree, Bahra Kahu could use Expressway and those travelling to Rawalpindi city areas could use Margalla Road, 9th Avenue, Faisal Avenue, IJP Road to Faizabad Flyover.

Traffic diversion from Golra Sharif to Islamabad Chowk is that those who want to travel in Islamabad should use G-11 Service Road and Margalla Road. Traffic diversion from Zero Point to G-11 Signal Islamabad and Kashmir Highway is that residents of G-7, G-6, G-5, F-8, F-7, F-6, G-8 could reach Rawalpindi through Faisal Avenue and Faizabad while residents of G-11, G-10, G-9, G-10, F-8 and E-9 must use Margalla Road, 9th Avenue or Faisal Avenue to reach Rawalpindi.

From Sabzi Mandi I-10, Nescom Chowk, Police Line Chowk and Faqir Eppi Road to Islamabad Chowk, the residents have been advised to use I-10 Road, 9th Avenue and IJP Road for routine travelling. Residents of H-9/3, H-8/4 and I-9 have advised to use 7-up Chowk, 9th Avenue and IJP Road for routine movement.