The Rawalpindi administration on Friday called in the Rangers after imposing Section 144 in the city for two days, and the police formulated a strategy to maintain law and order due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally.
The administration in Rawalpindi decided to deploy Rangers, and based on recommendations from the district administration, six companies of Rangers were requested in Rawalpindi and Attock. The correspondence indicates a threat of armed miscreants arriving in Rawalpindi.
The Rawalpindi administration issued a letter to the federal government for the deployment of Rangers.
Meanwhile, in response to the PTI’s call for protests at Liaquat Bagh and other locations in Rawalpindi, the police prepared a strategy to manage the protests and maintain law and order.
Heavy police contingents were deployed with a total of 34 pickets established on major thoroughfares, including Central Jail Adiala, Murree Road, Faizabad, and Peshawar Road, as well as in the surrounding cantonment areas.
The security at Central Jail Adiala was also heightened, with police pickets established and additional personnel deployed. The administration decided to completely seal the areas around Murree Road and Liaquat Bagh by erecting containers and barriers. In this regard, nine police pickets were established in the Rawal Division, particularly at Faizabad, on both routes leading to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk, Chandni Chowk, Hamza Camp Turn, and towards Pirwadhai police station and Chak Muddad.
In the Pothohar Division, a total of 14 police pickets were established at M.H. Chowk, T&T Chowk, Shalimar Chowk, towards Pirwadhai Turn, President Kacheri Chowk, 22 Number Chungi Chowk, and at the Metro Station.
Additional police pickets were set up at Amar Chowk, Gulzar Quaid Chowk, KCP Morgah, Margalla Chowk, Taxila Chowk, Wah Garden and Bahattar Turn. In the President Division, a total of 11 police pickets were established at Central Jail Adiala, Biscuit Factory Chowk, Chakri Bazaar, Joriyan Turn, Chak Beli Turn, GT Road Gujar Khan, Mandra Toll Plaza, Daultala Turn, Kahuta Chowk and Kallar Syedan Chowk.
At the police station level, two teams were formed for patrolling within the jurisdiction of each police station. Five elite section forces, equipped with anti-riot gear were ordered to remain in standby positions.
Similarly, one officer and 20 female police officers under the supervision of the SHO (Women) were also placed on standby.
Each police station in Rawalpindi was provided with a reserve police force that could be utilized during law and order situations.
Each division would have a supervisory divisional SP while overall supervision in the district would be the responsibility of the Additional SSP Operations.
The command and control would be managed by the Chief Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani.
