RAWALPINDI: Orders have gone out to all prisons in Punjab to make room for hundreds of prisoners in the case coming Sunday’s PTI rally in Islamabad sparks violence, Dawn learnt on Thursday.

A senior officer of the prison department confided on the condition of anonymity that the government is determined to arrest rioters and has directed every prison to expect between 500 and 1,000 detainees in the event violence does erupt.

“All those brought for detention will be treated like other prisoners and according to the jail manual,” the officer said, but added that for “political activists” arrangements have been made in the six prisons in the Rawalpindi division.

Most jails are already near full capacity

There exist eight central and 25 district jails in the Punjab province as a whole.

Central Jail of Rawalpindi is already filled with 4,500, more than twice its capacity. Sixty-five of them are there for terrorism.

A security source told Dawn that the Special Branch have provided to police across the province the names of about 2,000 workers and activists considered potential trouble-makers. But the name of no first rank PTI leader figures on the list, the source said.

“It is a policy decision that none from the senior-level leadership will be touched by the police. Only political workers and leaders of local chapters will be detained, apparently to deter supporters and sympathizers from joining the PTI ranks.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of extra police, and 800 personnel of Punjab Constabulary, have arrived in Rawalpindi to assist the local police on Nov 30. Five hundred more policemen are due to arrive on Friday.

Police will have heavy presence at entry points of the garrison city to discourage the PTI workers from joining protest demonstrators in Islamabad next Sunday. “Random but strict checking of public transport will start from Friday to spot outsiders arriving into the city. Those found carrying sticks or other threatening tools will be taken into custody.” a senior police officer said.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi traffic police have started impounding the public transport vehicles which the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek had contracted to carry their workers and activists during their sit-ins in Islamabad. The Special Branch provided them the registration numbers of the vehicles  

Another police source said that PTI supporters were being discreetly warned across the Punjab that heading for Islamabad could be dangerous for them.

In remarks not connected with this information, Regional Police Officer Akhtar Omer Hayat Laleka separately told Dawn that police cannot take chances and will do whatever is needed to ensure peace in the city.

“Tightened security will ensure that whoever tried to create law and order situation, he will not be allowed to do so,” the RPO said.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014