ISLAMABAD: Security personnel – who had been posted in the Red Zone in anticipation of a showdown between government forces and protesters from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek – were told to stand down at the last moment as charged demonstrators marched onto Constitution Avenue late on Tuesday night.

Even though the government did not look like it would allow marchers to make it to the halls of power, in the end, it seemed that they had no stomach for violence and ordered police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel not to clash with the marchers.

A police official deployed in the Red Zone told Dawn he and his colleagues had been on standby since that morning.

“We had made all preparations to stop the protesters in their tracks. Batons had been provided to all policemen, while those inside the Red Zone were equipped with rubber bullets and tear gas canisters,” he said.

Govt seemingly unwilling to move against peaceful protesters

“But when the PTI and PAT demonstrators began their march towards Constitution Avenue on Tuesday night, we were told to stand down and not to engage them until they tried to cross the red line,” he said.

Then, around 11pm, when both marches merged at the Nadra Headquarters, they received further orders to allow the protesters free passage into the high-security zone.

With dozens of law enforcement personnel looking on, the demonstrators used cranes to clear away the last of the roadblocks and set off down towards the parliament building.

En route, the roof tops of key installations, such as PM House, were littered with military personnel standing at ready, armed to the teeth.

“The only instructions we had at that point were not to allow anyone to move towards the Diplomatic Enclave,” a policeman said.

The government’s order was ostensibly aimed at avoiding casualties, especially given the large number of women and children among the marchers.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, in a TV interview said the government decided not to use force against the two marches to demonstrate their commitment towards talks and hoped that this would serve to bring both PTI and PAT leaders to the negotiating table.

The protesters were quite charged and, raising slogans against the government and Nawaz Sharif, said they would remain in front of Parliament House until their demands are met.

The PAT demonstrators were quite disciplined as women walked in a separate row and they were protected by a cordon of young volunteers. A sub-inspector posted at the entrance to the Red Zone told Dawn if the advancing mob were to remain peaceful, they would be allowed to pass.

Scattered clashes were reported from the vicinity of the Serena Hotel, but no casualties were reported.

Two PTI supporters, Saba Afzal and Mrs Riffat, were the first ones to reach parliament in the back of their Honda Civic.

They said they would not leave unless the government fulfilled their demands. Saba, who is a PTI office-bearer, was hopeful that the PML-N government would soon be dissolved.

— Reporting by Ikram Junaidi, Kalbe Ali, Jamal Shahid, Syed Irfan Raza and Malik Asad

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014