How Are the Twin Cities Preparing for PTI’s Long March?
News Desk
ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Islamabad and Rawalpindi are bracing for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march as authorities intensify security, deploy additional police personnel and position shipping containers at strategic points, even as officials maintain that major and minor roads across Punjab remain open.
The security preparations are particularly visible across the twin cities, where entry and exit points are under heightened surveillance and routes leading towards Islamabad are being closely monitored.
In Islamabad, D-Chowk has been sealed with a wall of shipping containers, while security arrangements at entry points have been tightened. Additional police personnel have been deployed at sensitive locations, with stricter screening measures introduced to monitor movement into the capital.
At Faizabad, the key junction connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi, containers have also been positioned as authorities prepare for any attempt by protesters to enter Islamabad.
The security buildup extends beyond the twin cities. Along the Attock-Islamabad route, police contingents remain deployed and containers have been placed at several locations. Since the middle of last month, containers have been positioned along major routes, including the Motorway and GT Road, while additional containers have also been placed on the Attock Bridge.
According to sources, between 20,000 and 30,000 Punjab Police personnel have been deployed in Attock as part of the security arrangements.
Jhelum as another pressure point
Jhelum has also witnessed a significant security buildup following repeated failures in negotiations between the government and opposition.
A large number of containers have been stationed along the GT Road, while a heavy police contingent has been deployed in the area. Sources indicate that the GT Road could be closed if the situation escalates, although the route remains open to traffic for now.
The developments reflect the challenge confronting law-enforcement authorities: maintaining the flow of traffic while remaining prepared to restrict movement if protesters advance towards Islamabad.
Twin cities at the centre of political tensions
The security preparations come amid heightened political tensions following the breakdown of talks between the government and opposition.
Islamabad and Rawalpindi are expected to remain at the centre of the situation because of their strategic importance. While Islamabad is the destination of the PTI protest, Rawalpindi represents a major gateway for protesters approaching the federal capital.
The deployment of containers at Faizabad and D-Chowk, coupled with intensified screening at entry points, appears aimed at controlling any sudden influx of protesters while allowing routine movement for residents, commuters and businesses to continue.
Punjab imposes Section 144
Adding to the security measures, the Punjab Home Department has imposed Section 144 across the province from October 6 to October 15.
Under the notification, gatherings, processions and assemblies involving five or more people in public places, on highways and in open spaces are prohibited. The carrying or display of weapons in public places has also been banned, while encouraging or inciting people to participate in illegal gatherings is prohibited.
The restrictions follow intelligence warnings of possible attacks targeting public gatherings. Rallies, public meetings, sit-ins, processions and demonstrations have been identified as potential soft targets.
The notification, however, exempts wedding ceremonies, funeral prayers and burials, as well as activities at mosques and other places of worship. Courts, government institutions and officially permitted events are also exempt. Law-enforcement, intelligence and security personnel performing official duties are likewise excluded from the restrictions.
The Home Department said Section 144 had been imposed in view of serious threats to public peace, order, and the safety of life and property.
Peshawar exams postponed
The political and security situation has also begun affecting routine activities outside the twin cities.
The annual matriculation examinations scheduled for October 7, 8, 9 and 10 in Peshawar have been postponed in connection with the PTI long march.
The Controller of the Peshawar Board said revised dates for the postponed examinations would be announced later and advised students to await the official schedule.
Punjab IG says roads remain open
Despite the extensive security deployment and the positioning of containers at strategic locations, Punjab Inspector General Rao Abdul Karim has maintained that the province remains peaceful and that no road blockades are in place.
Speaking to the media at the Lahore High Court, the Punjab police chief said all major and minor roads across Punjab were open and there were no issues related to the long march.
He also said action would be taken against officials found responsible for poor performance, with disciplinary measures taken in accordance with the law and relevant regulations.
For commuters in the twin cities and along Islamabad-bound routes, however, the visible presence of containers, police contingents and intensified screening points to authorities preparing for multiple possible scenarios while publicly maintaining that normal traffic continues to flow.
The key question is whether these measures will remain precautionary or develop into broader restrictions if the PTI long march moves towards the capital.
