The government has begun sealing the red zone and has placed containers and barbed wire in D-Chowk, ahead of the Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran long march, to ensure security.
Security officials said that no compromise would be made on the safety of the capital, and the police and city administration have decided to seal the red zone by placing containers. Additional CCTV cameras have also been installed on main buildings of the capital including the Parliament House.
The Interior Ministry has been requested to provide an additional contingent of 10,000 security forces in this regard. Around 15,000 to 20,000 security officials would be deployed for security in the city, and over 7,000 officials will man the red zone. The Army will also remain on standby during the march. Every individual entering Islamabad for the protest will need valid identification, while hired buses will have to carry valid documents. Meanwhile, truck drivers entering the capital have alleged that they were forcibly directed by the police to park their containers in the red zone to seal the area. “I offered them Rs 3,000 in bribes but they demanded Rs 10,000, and I couldn’t pay that so they took my container to seal the area,” said a truck driver.
These drivers said that they weren’t given any compensation for their containers or money for food or lodging during the five day blockage.
