The Interior Ministry has extended the deployment of army personnel in Islamabad for three more months under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
On the Interior Ministry’s request, the Defence Ministry had deployed troops in Islamabad for the security of sensitive state institutions and buildings. The deployment period was to expire on Thursday.
Army and Rangers personnel were deployed in Islamabad and given powers to take action against terrorists and keep a check on any acts of terrorism in the federal capital amidst fears of a backlash by terrorists being targeted by the army in North Waziristan.
The troops were also deployed at the Parliament House, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Prime Minister’s Office, PM House, Pak Secretariat and Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters during the anti-government sit-ins staged by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Though PAT has wrapped up the sit-in, PTI is continuing its protest sit-in in Islamabad.
