*Lahore police likely to be deployed in Islamabad
Heavy contingent of the Lahore police is expected to be deployed in the federal capital in view of the intense political turmoil gathering pace in the run up to Azadi March on the Independence Day to unseat the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, sources said.
According to sources, at least 7,000 personnel of the Punjab Constabulary are likely to be dispatched to the federal capital thanks to the depleted force of the Islamabad police—far less in number to tackle the huge influx of political activists. The commandoes of the Elite Force of the Punjab police will also be included in the contingent, the sources said.
The sources said the government also seemed intent on using water cannons to prevent the activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from entering Islamabad.
It should be mentioned here that Imran Khan announced that he would not withdraw his call for the Azadi March, as all avenues of negotiations with the incumbent government are closed once and for all.