Police in the federal capital asked the federal interior ministry to send out more troops and armed units on Wednesday out of an abundance of caution due to the “high potential” of violence by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members when they enter the city as part of the long march.
Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan, Inspector General (IG) of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police, wrote to the federal interior ministry on Wednesday to convey his concerns that PTI demonstrators approaching the federal capital would be armed with fatal weapons.
The letter, a copy of which is available with SAMAA TV, stated: “There is credible information from open sources in the news channels, public statements of supports and office holders of PTI with regard to the unlawful use of lethal weapons, lethal pointed batons, catapults and other weapons etc. by some PTI workers and protestors during the forthcoming long march.”
In addition, he claimed that according to information acquired by the police’s operations branch and other sources, PTI was allegedly gathering illegal items near the federal capital’s borders in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Dr. Akbar wrote: “Therefore, it is requested that you kindly approach the Ministry of Interior on a priority basis with the request to accord necessary guidance, if they believe otherwise, for deployment of these armed units during the upcoming PTI long march exercising the right of self-defense as per the laws.
He gave the assurance that, despite the high chance of violence as planned by the PTI leadership, the units deployed during the march would “carry their duty without any fear and with complete care for the people as per the law to execute their jobs.”
An Islamabad extra district magistrate wrote to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday asking for the deployment of additional ambulances in addition to enhanced police contingents.
The letter requests that the CDA’s director of emergency and disaster management give the civic administration of the capital access to 10 ambulances, qualified paramedic staff, and five fire brigades.
