Islamabad Police leaves cancelled ahead of likely JUI-F sit-in

ISLAMABAD: The police department has cancelled the leaves of all its officials in Islamabad in view of possible sit-in announced by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the federal capital.

The JUI-F yesterday announced that the participants of its ‘Azadi March’ will reach in Islamabad on October 31.

According to a notification, no police officer/official of Islamabad Capital Territory Police shall be granted any kind of leave till further orders except in the case of extreme emergency.

The police forces have commenced preparations for upcoming protest and sit-in of JUI-F in Islamabad.

The personnel of the Anti-Riot Unit (ARU) of the Islamabad police department participated in training sessions at Police Line headquarters.

Special sessions were organised on a daily basis to train police officers for handling crowd to address any untoward situation.

Police officers instructed the personnel to ensure their own safety during the mass gatherings and sit-ins besides barring those trying to disturb law and order situation.

Islamabad police department has summoned additional contingents comprising 20,000 officials from other provinces to boost security of the federal capital.

Earlier in the day, the religio-political party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazl (JUI-F), formally applied to get permission from the Islamabad administration to hold its “Azadi March” on October 27.

Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, through his counsel Kamran Murtaza, submitted an application to Chief Commissioner of Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmad, asking for approval to hold the march, as well as security arrangements for participants.

“The JUI-F will be holding the Azadi March on October 27, 2019 at D-Chowk, Islamabad, exercising its democratic and Constitutional right under Articles 16 and 17 of the Constitution against the incumbent government,” reads the application.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had earlier announced that his party will begin its anti-government movement from “Azadi March”. He had asserted, “The entire country will be our battleground.”

However, the party supremo failed to garner opposition parties’ support so far. The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz urged Rehman to delay the march, whereas, Pakistan People’s Party chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had said that his party would only extend moral support to the JUI-F cause.