Fear of TLP protest: LEAs reinforced in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: While Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid announced three days ago that an agreement has been reached with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to end its protest, the presence of law enforcement agencies in Rawalpindi is being augmented to meet any untoward situation.

A letter written by the Central Police Office (operations branch) Punjab on Oct 25, a copy of which is available with The News, has ordered the placement of personnel of the police and Punjab Constabulary (PC) at the disposal of the regional police officer (RPO) Rawalpindi for law and order duty.

The letter for the “provision of force” has been addressed to the commandant, PC, Farooqabad, the additional Inspector General Police/Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab; the RPOs of Faisalabad, Sargodha & Bahawalpur; the district police officers (DPOs) of Toba Tek Singh, Bahawalpur, Khushab and Mianwali; and the additional inspector general (AIG)/complaint, CPO, Punjab.

According to the letter, the competent authority has approved the placement of these officers/officials at the disposal of Rawalpindi RPO to tackle the evolving law and order situation. Mujeebur Rehman Bagvi, DPO, Toba Tek Singh, has been directed to send two sub-divisional police officers (SPDOs) and four SHOs (station house officers) from his district.

Capt. Mustansar Feroz, DPO, Mianwali, has been asked to dispatch two SDPOs, four SHOs and ten reserves from his jurisdiction. Muhammad Naveed, DPO, Khushab, has been ordered to spare two SDPOs, four SHOs and ten reserves from his district.

Asad Sarfraz, AIG/complaint, will send two Superintendents of Police (SPs) from the PC, and Faisal Kamran, DPO, Bahawalpur, has also been called. Dr Fahad, SP, Battalion No.2 PC, Rawat, has been asked to perform duty at the Liaqat Bagh, Rawalpindi.

The TLP leaders have repudiated the interior minister’s claim that an accord has been worked out and that their protesters would go back to Lahore, abandoning their long march to Islamabad. They have been camping in Muridke where they had stopped their march in view of the talks with Sheikh Rashid.