Islamabad, Pakistan: Over-charged few hundred PTI followers made hell for the Punjab Police as well as for Islamabad Police when they kept civilian law enforcement agencies busy in hide and seek at Faizabad intersection, Sohan, Muree Road and around D-Chowk on Friday and they came into action after Friday prayers. The government’s intelligence failed as police had been waiting for them since early morning and thought they would have gathered at the announced venue of Red Zone in Islamabad before Friday’s Prayers.
In Rawalpindi, this scribe did not find civil administration officers like the Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi in action as they might have avoided putting them in the mess. This scribe covered the situation at Murree Road, Faizabad, Committee Chowk, and Dhok Kala Khan and found not a single important officer of district management. Similar inputs came from the Murree district and the Attock district. Yes, police were seen in groups of five to 10 persons but the true administrative power was not seen anywhere that surely encouraged protestors to march forward.
According to available information from Lahore, no Situation Room was not created in CM House and the political presence of the Punjab government was not reported while PMLN members of parliament avoided engaging with the situation. On the other side, the KP government with full administrative force headed the processions and encouraged people to reach 26 entry points of Islamabad. It was understood that catchment areas for reaching the venue fall into Punjab and KP provinces therefore proactive rule of civil administration of Punjab (Murree-Rawalpindi—Attock) could enhance administrative writ over PTI workers who were in few hundreds but well planned having strong will to reach the venue.
Pakistan Army Deployment in Islamabad: Is it the right decision at the right time?
It is believed that after sensing the failure of civil administration, the Interior Ministry took the decision to call the Pakistan Army to manage the security of Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution. According to available information, foreign delegates of the SCO Summit will start arriving in Islamabad on October 10, 2024, to attend the main Summit to be held on October 15-16. On the other hand, there is a possibility that PTI followers would remain active in and around Islamabad to disrupt the law and order and this situation would surely compromise the high security of foreign delegates.
In normal political circumstances, calling the Army under Article 245 is not an advisable decision but in sensitive circumstances owning to SCO Summit, the decision looks wise and timely. Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan says:
- The Armed Forces shall, under the directions of the Federal Government, defend Pakistan against external
aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so.
- The validity of any direction issued by the Federal Government under clause (1) shall not be called in question in any court.
- A High Court shall not exercise any jurisdiction under Article 199 in relation to any area in which the Armed Forces of Pakistan are, for the time being, acting in aid of civil power in pursuance of Article 245:
Provided that this clause shall not be deemed to affect the jurisdiction of the High Court in respect of any proceeding pending immediately before the day on which the Armed Forces start acting in aid of civil power.
- Any proceeding in relation to an area referred to in clause (3) instituted on or after the day the Armed Forces start acting in aid of civil power and pending in any High Court shall remain suspended for the period during which the Armed Forces are so acting.
The Army has been called from October 5 to October 17 and by that time foreign delegates would already leave Islamabad.
The situation on the ground indicates this timely decision can help to maintain law and order situation in the capital during the time foreign delegates would be in Islamabad but this decision also shows civil administration and the political power of the ruling party have been strongly challenged by few hundred followers PTI.
By the time of submitting the story, PTI followers and police were engaged in Chungi 26, Faizabad, and Murree Road with police while the process of CM KP Ali Amin Gandapur was yet to arrive in Islamabad.
