Ministry summons police from provinces to assist in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Ministry has decided to take emergency measures to tackle likely protest by the supporters of an outlawed religious group in the federal capital city, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to sources, the government has decided to secure Islamabad from the protesters at any cost. The government has summoned police contingents from provinces to ensure public order in Islamabad in the wake of likely protest, sources said.

The ministry has called contingents of 30,000 policemen from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir, according to sources. The Ministry of Interior has summoned 10,000 policemen and officers from Punjab, KP and Kashmir each to assist in maintenance of law and order.

The interior ministry has directed the provinces to sent riot gears with their police contingents, according to sources.

The ministry has wrote letters to the secretaries of provinces for deployment of police contingents in Islamabad, sources added.

It is to be mentioned here that Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has cut short his UAE visit and flew back home this morning in the backdrop of yesterday’s violent clashes in Lahore.

The minister had traveled to the UAE to watch the first match of ICC T20 World Cup between Pakistan and India. However, he had to skip the match scheduled to be played later today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and return home.