ISLAMABAD: Major anti-government protests by three political parties – the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), Awami Muslim League (AML) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will kick off today amid much saber-rattling between government and opposition leaders.

In Islamabad, PTI and AML will march down Jinnah Avenue onto D-Chowk – or as close as the authorities allow them to get to the Red Zone – while PAT’s protest will be confined to Chandni Chowk-Committee Chowk stretch of Murree Road in Rawalpindi.

Preparing the venue

On Saturday, volunteers and party activists worked through the day and the better part of the night to set the stage for their leaders’ appearances.

In Blue Area, police and PTI workers were seen to be getting along quite amicably. Both sides seemed to be working towards a common objective: to make sure Sunday’s show goes off without a hitch.

Also interesting was the agreement between PTI workers and police officers on the numbers that were expected at the venue.

“If we manage to get 50,000 to 60,000 here, it will be a success for us,” a PTI office-bearer coordinating preparations in Blue Area told Dawn.

“The venue is 700x100 square metres and can accommodate a maximum of 70,000 people,” a senior police officer, overseeing the security cordon in the same area, told Dawn.

The road to D-Chowk is already blocked with containers and barbed wire, placed at Parade Avenue. The two-tiered main stage for the PTI gathering has been placed at Express Chowk, at the edge of the high-security zone.

In his public statements ahead of the rally, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had stressed that PTI supporters should not attempt to breach the security cordon around the Red Zone, which houses sensitive government offices and government functionaries’ official residences.

Reflecting his resolve, the city administration sealed other entrances to the Red Zone on Saturday, placing containers at the junctions near Serena Hotel, Nadra Headquarters and the Marriott Hotel.

Police officers at the scene told Dawn all these roads would be blocked around 5am on Sunday morning.

“We have no orders to seal the entry-exit points to Islamabad,” they said.

On Saturday, Arshad, who was coordinating PTI workers setting up the stage where Imran Khan would be speaking, told Dawn his party had to arrange for containers itself as well.

“We would’ve brought more, but it was quite difficult for us to get these many here. We couldn’t get permission,” he said. One of the police officers deployed at the scene asked if PTI workers could spare a few containers so certain holes in the security cordon could be filled.

Security and traffic plan

According to the security plan, those attending the rally will only be allowed access from a single entry-point, where 11 walkthrough gates have been placed.

The Bomb Disposal Squad will be on hand and are expected to complete a sweep of the area prior to the formal commencement of ceremonies on Sunday.

But responsibility for guarding the stage and the PTI leadership present there will fall on the police and even the party workers will not be allowed in a 400-metre cordon, which has been designated a ‘no-man’s land’.

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) have also issued a plan for the PTI rally, specifying three entry points for the capital: at Golra Roundabout, Rawat and Bhara Kahu.

Parking areas have been designated for vehicles of rally participants at Blue Area near Kulsoom Plaza on both sides of the Service Road.

PTI chief Imran Khan and the party’s central leadership are expected to arrive at the venue from Bani Gala.

Rawalpindi protest

The City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) and local law enforcement agencies put the final touches on the arrangements for the PAT rally on Murree Road on Saturday night.

Around 2,500 police personnel were deployed in the city overnight. CDGR has also installed 50 CCTVs cameras along the rally’s path to monitor proceedings. Military helicopters will also be used for aerial view of the rally.

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sajid Zafar Dall told Dawn all slip roads and side alleys along the rally’s route would be closed from Saturday night.

“Participants will be allowed to enter from two points –Rawal Road and from the Faizabad side. The only exit point will be Liaquat Bagh,” he said.

All the participants would only be allowed to enter after a through security check and 500 PAT volunteers will assist as many policemen for this purpose.

Fire tenders, Rescue 1122 ambulances and sanitary staff will be on-hand to deal with any possible situation, he said.

PAT will begin its rally at 3pm from Chandni Chowk and their leader, Dr Tahirul Qadri is expected to address the participants via video link from Canada after Maghrib prayers.

Government hostility?

Deputy General Secretary Sardar Mansoorul Qadri told Dawn on Saturday that there were reports that the Punjab government had ordered traffic wardens to seal transport terminals and precinct PAT workers from booking passage to Rawalpindi in Pind Dadan Khan, Chakwal and other areas.

“But the government cannot change our programme. Our workers will reach Pindi at all cost,” he said.

Separately, PTI provincial legislator Arif Abbasi vowed to lead a mammoth rally from Rawalpindi into Islamabad, despite what he called “the hurdles being created by police and other law enforcement agencies”.

“CDGR and special branch officials are harassing transporters to convince them not to take our workers to Islamabad,” he said, adding that such tactics could not weaken their resolve.

But the DCO denied these allegations, saying, “the Punjab government made it clear that there will be no hurdle in the rallies. We just asked the transporters to not entertain passengers who came with weapons or ammunition, failing which the bus driver and conductor will be booked”. —Amir Wasim, Aamir Yasin & Munawer Azeem