Rawalpindi police on Saturday blocked the entry and points of the garrison city in an attempt to prevent PTI workers from gathering for a protest at Liaquat Bagh.

The party has announced Liaquat Bagh as the venue for the protest, which was earlier planned to be a rally. However, the PTI founder changed the decision, saying that the government would not allow his party to hold the event in the city and designate a venue in the suburbs.

In an attempt to thwart PTI’s protest, the provincial government has banned all public gatherings and stationed paramilitary forces in Rawalpindi.

Dawn.com correspondents present on the scene today reported that police placed containers at the Faizabad interchange, Double Road and Saddar, while Islamabad police blocked the Islamabad motorway at Hakla.

The garrison city’s main Muree road, which is a commercial hub, is closed due to the presence of police and blockaded roads.

The Rawalpindi Police posted on social media that security is on high alert and Section 144 is in force in Rawalpindi.

“Illegal assembly or rally is not allowed at any place, legal action will be taken in case of violation,” the post said. “Violators of law and order will be dealt with with iron hands.”

The police added that they led a flag march in the garrison city to “ensure the rule of law”, with the march passing along Rawal Road, Murree Road, Mall Road, Chauhar Chowk and the motorway.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Kamran Asghar reached Liaquat Bagh with the flag march, where a large contingent of police personnel has been deployed.

Former provincial minister and senior PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai told Dawn.com that the Punjab police had blocked the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway at Hazara interchange, halting the entry of PTI workers. He added that police fired tear gas shells at the PTI supporters.

The X account of Barrister Gohar also posted footage of him in a vehicle. The post said he and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja were arrested by the police.

PTI leader Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned the arrest. “This facist government is hell-bent upon destroying the peace in this country. Protest is our constitutional right and this regime can’t take it away from us.”

He also shared visuals of former MPA Seemabia Tahir’s “unlawful arrest” and her being taken away.

The X account of PTI MPA Tanveer Aslam shared a video of him and Tahir being taken away by the police.

The PTI said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was also on his way to Rawalpindi.

It also shared footage, claiming that Rawalpindi locals distributed water to the PTI protesters amid the shelling by the police.

Meanwhile, citizens are not only grappling with blocked roads but mobile phone services have been partially suspended.

We will teach a lesson: Azma Bokhari

Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari warned that anybody coming to the province to “cause trouble” would be sternly dealt with.

“The Punjab Police knows how to treat this problem, when he (CM Gandapur) comes here, we will teach him a lesson.

Addressing a press conference, the minister lashed out at the PTI and CM Gandapur. “The chief minister whose province is plagued by terrorism and other issues is threatening to come to another province and cause trouble,” she said.

“We will not allow you (the PTI) to take shelter under the law or the Constitution or human rights,” she said. “This person (Gandapur) coming to this province to cause trouble will have to face the law. He doesn’t care about Section 144, he only cares about Section 804,” the minister added, referring to Imran’s prisoner number.

Meanwhile, Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, in a dig at the PTI, said: “Lahore rally rejected in Lahore and Rawalpindi rally rejected by the people of Rawalpindi … people trust Maryam Nawaz and satisfied with the performance of their chief minister and reject the politics of anarchy. This is just the beginning.”

Section 144 in Rawalpindi

Even though PTI leaders have vowed to reach the venue “despite all hurdles”, it won’t be an easy task.

Rawalpindi Police, Rangers and Punjab Constabulary have planned to “lay a virtual siege” to the garrison city to stop PTI workers, a senior police official had confirmed.

No traffic would enter or exit the city as roads would be blocked with containers and barbed wires.

On Friday, a day before the protest, the deputy commissioners of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal and Attock districts requested the Punjab Home Department to ban all gatherings in the city.

The request was promptly accepted, and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, was imposed in the city and neighbouring districts.

The move bans all kinds of gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations, protests, and other activities like carrying or displaying weapons.

The four deputy commissioners expressed apprehensions that miscreants “could take advantage” of PTI’s protest to carry out “subversive/ anti-state activities to fulfil their nefarious designs”.

Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema had told Dawn that his administration and local police were working in coordination to maintain law and order in the district.

Local administrations of Attock and Rawalpindi will be assisted by six companies of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) who have been stationed at the request of respective deputy commissioners.

The Ministry of Interior — which commands Rangers — has deployed the troops at the request of the Punjab Home Department.

The troops will remain in the two districts till Sunday.

Earlier this year, Jamaat-i-Islami held a days-long sit-in on Murree Road against the high cost of electricity. There were also demonstrations by teachers, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan and other religious parties.