Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Rawalpindi district administration has geared up its preparations to welcome the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) marchers who would most likely reach the garrison city in the next week.
According to the party sources, the marchers will camp at Rawat’s T-Chowk till Imran Khan’s final call to move towards Rawalpindi on the G T Road, most probably to give a final push to the incumbent government of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. It is yet to be announced whether the march will enter Rawalpindi via the G.T. Road or it will take the Expressway to enter federal capital that was the original destination of the marchers.
Preparations to ensure shelter and food to the marchers are in full swing in Rawalpindi city of Punjab province which is being ruled by the PTI and its ally, PML-Q. Construction work to set up dozens of toilets in the Allama Iqbal Park in Shamsabad, Rawalpindi is underway. The authorities in Taxila have set up around 200 bathrooms for the marchers.
According to the party sources, the marchers are likely to reach Rewat by end of this week. They will reach near to Faizabad via Murree Road after the call of the party chairman Imran Khan. , or, they will use the Islamabad Expressway to enter the federal capital.
Security plan
The Rawalpindi administration has also geared up security preparations to provide security to the participants of the march, likely to enter the city on Saturday following the call of party chairman Imran Khan. The Chairman is recovering in Lahore from the gun attack in Wazirabad earlier this month.
The PTI leadership is in contact with the Rawalpindi administration on “foolproof security measures” taken by the administration. According to the official sources, at least 5,000 police officials will protect the long march while party chairman Imran Khan will be given “box security” as he joins the protest in the garrison city.
At least 15 sections of the Elite Force and 122 commandos will also be deployed to secure the marchers. As many as 1,500 personnel will be on standby to deal with any emergency situation. Eight SSPs and SPs, 19 ASPs and DSPs, 253 upper subordinates, 981 lower subordinates, 66 women police personnel, 15 sections of the elite force, including 122 lower subordinates (commandos), 565 officials of the City Traffic Police will be performing active and standby duties during the march.
The Special Branch of Police has also been tasked with sweeping the main route of the convoy while monitoring the rally through videos will also be ensured. Arrangements have also been made for monitoring with closed-circuit cameras in urban areas. Expert snipers will also be deployed at the buildings along the route of the march, according to the security plan.
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