Punjab and KP have so far given no response to the Islamabad Administration’s request for additional police force to ensure security in the capital during the long march led by Qadri on January 14.
The administration, through the Interior Ministry, had requested KP and Punjab to send 10,000 police personnel for security purposes, but their responses are yet to be received. Islamabad Police has a total of 9,500 officials and only 2,500 officials are available in the operation wing, while the remaining force is engaged in other assignments.
In a meeting on Wednesday, the Interior secretary was told that the ICT administration had 2,500 police personal and 2,000 Rangers to handle Qadri’s march and if the provinces did not send additional forces over, the march could be controlled effectively.
The meeting was attended by the chief commissioner, deputy commissioner, Traffic SSP, and other senior officers. They discussed various options to keep protestors from entering the Red Zone. They decided that 30 close circuit cameras would be installed in various places in the city.
Deputy Commissioner Amir Ahmed Ali on Wednesday wrote a letter to Qadri asking him to share his plan for January 14, and appoint a focal person so the administration could contact him while making arrangements for the march.
