RAWALPINDI: Following the arrest of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the garrison city remained calm as no political workers or activists took to the streets in support of their leader who was driven to the Adiala jail.

Besides, traffic in the city and cantonment areas remained smooth throughout the day and business activities were routine though in some areas it was slow.

Rawalpindi is considered as a hub of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N). Local leaders and supporters of the party, who according to intelligence were not in the four figure, had gone to Islamabad to support their supreme leader.

A senior PML-N leader told Dawn that all MNAs, MPAs and union council chairmen had been asked to reach the accountability court in Islamabad along with their supporters. Therefore, there was no plan to stage a protest in Rawalpindi, he said.

“We went to Islamabad on our own to support Nawaz Sharif where tear gas shells were fired on us,” he said, adding the local leaders and workers would go to Adiala jail and the new airport on Tuesday if Mr Sharif was shifted to Lahore by air.

When contacted, Rawalpindi Mayor and PML-N leader Sardar Naseem insisted that they had not been asked to take a large number of workers and activists to the court. He said party workers along with union council chairmen and vice chairmen had gone to Islamabad early in the morning and returned after Mr Sharif was arrested and shifted to the jail, he said.

In view of the security situation and possible protests by the PML-N, the police had made security arrangements in the city.

Anti-riot police were deployed in some parts of the city while patrolling was increased and extra personnel were deployed at the exit and entry points. Rangers were also deployed at police checkposts established on the route to the Adiala jail.

A senior police official said the anti-riot police had been deployed in different parts of the city where protests were expected.

But the situation remained calm as no political activity was noticed in any part of the city.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2018