ISLAMABAD
INP
The capital police and district administration are in a fix on how to handle the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s “Azadi March” on August 14 as the capital police is “fearing repetition” of a Model Town Lahore incident while confronting PTI’s “million-man” march.
“The government orders police to handle any protest rally or sit-in in the city. But, when police tackle it with force to avoid any untoward situation, everyone blames police for misuse of power and we face inquires and investigations,” a police officer said on condition of anonymity.
According to reports, Islamabad Chief Commissioner Jawad Paul who also serves as capital administration head has already proceeded on a three-month long leave.
It is said that Paul had managed to get leave to avoid any mess as it was quite usual to put blame on the head of the administration if anything went wrong.
Another official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “At first, police is ordered for baton-charge and shelling, and when we do so, we are held responsible for all as political players get themselves out easily.”
“The fact is that government uses police as a political tool to cover up their mistakes.”
With Paul on leave, post for Islamabad commissioner is now vacant while the government has given the addition charge to deputy commissioner.
Though the PTI leadership has made commitment that the march would be peaceful but the administration would take no chances particularly in view of security threats to the participants.
However the government has made it clear that it would not use the force to prevent the march as that would lead to clashes in a volatile political atmosphere.