ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to extend the army’s deployment in the capital city for three more months.

According to officials of the interior ministry, the deployment was extended due to a request made by the chief commissioner of Islamabad. In the extension order, the federal government has exercised powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution to extend the authorisation of deployment of 350 troops of the Pakistan Army to act in aide of civil power in accordance with the law for 90 days.

The federal government had deployed the army in Islamabad under the same article of the Constitution in 2014 and had mandated the military to aid civilian law-enforcement agencies in securing the capital.

The troops from 111 Brigade have been in the capital since May 2014, when they were called in by capital administration due to expected retaliation from militants against an operation in North Waziristan, according to police and capital administration officials.

They said these troops were additional to the troops stationed in five different places including the Presidency, Sports Complex and the Heliport.

Separate requisitions were made by the capital administration on May 25, 2014 and June 17 of the same year to call in the Rangers and army in the capital city respectively.

In 2014, the capital police needed the army for security duties and the then inspector general of police and senior superintendent of police also met with the then Rawalpindi corps commander and requested to be provided two companies of soldiers.

They sought assistance for the security of installations in the Red Zone and Margalla Hills adjacent to the high security zone, for deployment at important pickets and for patrolling at sensitive installations and areas.

The army was also asked to assist the capital police in intelligence gathering about the presence of militants in the city.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2017

Must Read

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

Ukraine, Nato and the future of Europe

The spectacle of the verbal spat between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky in the Oval Office was stark evidence of a tectonic shift in longstanding US foreign policy on Ukraine, Russia, Europe and Nato.

Opinion

Editorial

After the review
Updated 16 Mar, 2025

After the review

Should prepare economy for durable growth by attracting foreign private investments to boost productivity and exports.
Embracing crypto
16 Mar, 2025

Embracing crypto

IT seems a little prod was all it took for Pakistan to finally ‘embrace the future’. The Pakistan Crypto Council...
Fault lines
16 Mar, 2025

Fault lines

IT was a distressing spectacle, though a sadly predictable one. As the National Assembly took up for discussion the...
Revised solar policy
Updated 15 Mar, 2025

Revised solar policy

Criticism policy revisions misplaced as these will increase payback periods for consumers with oversized solar systems.
Toxic prejudice
15 Mar, 2025

Toxic prejudice

WITH far-right movements on the march across the world, it is no surprise that anti-Muslim bias is witnessing high...
Children in jails
15 Mar, 2025

Children in jails

PAKISTAN’S children in prison have often been treated like adult criminals. The Sindh government’s programme to...