Red Zone blocked
PMO says PM Imran believes in democratic right to protest
our correspondent
ISLAMABAD
The Islamabad police has placed containers to block off the capital city’s NADRA and Serena roundabouts in order to secure the Red Zone, as the government on Wednesday decided to let the anti-government protesters of Azadi March proceed to the capital territory “as long as parameters laid out by courts for lawful protest are not breached”.
Reportedly, the Red Zone will be cordoned off with barbed wire and water cannons will be deployed to block protesters’ entry. All entry and exit points of the city will also be sealed, police officials said, adding that Islamabad residents who plan to join the protest will be restricted to their districts.
A security plan has been devised by authorities, according to which Islamabad will be divided into three layers of security. Police personnel will be deployed in the first zone, Frontier Corps in the second and Rangers in the third.
Earlier in the day, the government decided to let the anti-government march protesters enter Islamabad.
The decision was made after a team delegated to negotiate with the joint opposition’s Rehbar Committee presented its recommendations to the prime minister.
A brief statement issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said: “It was decided that the government, with its firm belief in upholding democratic ideals, would allow the proposed Azadi March, if it takes place within the ambit of law and the Constitution as interpreted in the decisions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Islamabad High Court.”
“The prime minister believes in the democratic right to protest,” a spokesperson for PMO said.
