Heavy contingents of Punjab police and Pakistan Rangers have been deployed at Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad on the orders of the Home Department in view of possible protest by banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as the party has announced a ‘long march’.
Also, TLP supporters blocked the Chowk Yatim Khana for the last two days. The authorities have chalked out alternative traffic routes. Authorities have also shut down mobile signals in a number of areas in the provincial capital to control the situation.
Punjab IG has cancelled all holidays of Police jawans and Police officials and ordered them to remain on alert. All officers who are on leave or holiday, now directed to report to relevant Police officers and police stations. Punjab Constabulary, Elite Force, and other relevant forces.
Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muntazir Mehdi claimed that traffic at Lahore’s entry and exit points was as per usual, however, roads are closed from Scheme Mor, Bijli Ghar, and Samanabad to Yatim Kahana.
ON the other hand, Police and the officials of the district administration of twin cities—Rawalpindi and Islamabad—visited the Interchange, the possible site of protest, and reviewed the security situation.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Thursday again made it clear to the proscribed outfit that the French ambassador cannot be expelled from Pakistan.
Sheikh Rasheed further said that the expulsion of the French ambassador was tantamount to severing ties with the entire European Union (EU).
The interior minister warned whether it is the TLP or Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), neither should do anything to take the law in their own hands.
Pertinent to note that the federal government formally banned the TLP)—whose supporters staged three days of ‘violent’ protests across the country in April this year—after the arrest of their leader Saad Rizvi.
Ministry of Interior notified TLP as a proscribed organisation after the federal cabinet approved a summary to ban the party.
As per reports, the main demand of TLP's protest is to expel the French ambassador from Pakistan and to release their leader Saad Rizvi a son of its late founder Khadim Rizvi.
It is relevant to mention here that Saad Rizvi is detained by the Punjab government since April 12 for “maintenance of public order (MPO)”.
Banned outfit TLP chief Saad Rizvi was initially detained for three months and then again under the Anti-Terrorist Act on July 10. A federal review board is scheduled to take up the government’s reference against him on Oct 23.
Reporter Usman Javed