In order to maintain law and order and carry out their legal obligations during the current situation brought on by the PTI protests and long march, the capital police have requested that the federal government extend their executive authority and jurisdiction to Islamabad International Airport (IIA) and motorways.
The National Highways and Motorway Police (MHNP) and other law enforcement organizations have also been asked for the same extent.
In a letter to the chief commissioner’s office, the Central Police Office in Islamabad requested unhindered access to strategic security installations of the Islamabad Capital Territory, including the Islamabad International Airport, the M-1 (Islamabad-Peshawar interchanges), and the M-2 (Islamabad-Lahore interchanges).
According to the letter, districts Rawalpindi, Attock, and Islamabad have local control over the national highways that lead to IIA. However, it noted, the districts of Rawalpindi and Attock are located under the administrative jurisdiction of the Punjab province. Furthermore, all civil and military leadership, representatives of international organizations, diplomats, and foreign dignitaries use these gateways to approach Islamabad, and it is the state’s duty to provide security and protection to diplomats and foreign dignitaries from IIA to the city, the letter stated, adding that it is important for the capital police to ensure that LEAs are given access to these points of strategic importance.
It added that these national channels of communication are crucial from a strategic standpoint and warned against any unfavorable incidents occurring at the airport, nearby, or on any of the routes leading to the airport.
Any unfavorable incidence on the approach to and from IIA and the three highway toll plazas for access to Islamabad, Thalian, and Peshawar may be damaging in the wake of law and order problems and during the movement of VVIPs and dignitaries.
The letter added that this danger assessment has also been confirmed by other independent sources and that its inaccessibility by federal and capital LEAs of Islamabad may seriously affect interprovincial trade, security, and the economy.
Please increase the executive authority and jurisdiction of the federal government, including the capital police, NHA, National Highway and Motorway police, and other LEAs, in order to guard against any threat to Pakistan’s peace, tranquility, and economic well-being.
