PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s high level meeting underway in Islamabad to discuss Fiazabad sit-in

A high-level meeting of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is underway in Islamabad to discuss Fiazabad sit-in.

Bajwa flew in from United Arab Emirates (UAE) shortening his visit. Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Inter-Services-Intelligence (ISI) Chief Naveed Mukhtar are also present in the meeting.

The interior minister briefed civil-military leadership about Islamabad operation and ongoing protests across the country.

Furthermore, Rangers have been deployed at front line in Islamabad to tackle protesters. Around 1,000 Rangers personnel were deployed yesterday in different parts of Islamabad but they have been sent to the front today.

The police and FC personnel have been retreated to back positions after meeting of police officials, Islamabad administration and Rangers officials.

Earlier, after hours of federal government’s letter to Pakistan Army seeking assistance in dealing with Islamabad sit-in and protesters, the military has replied to interior ministry stating institute is ‘fully ready ‘ to assist , under Article 245 of the Constitution, in operation but there are few ‘matters needed clarification.’

In an official letter sent to the ministry, army pointed out those issues include seeking reasons police did not use its full capacity to disperse the protesters.

Furthermore, the military said that deployed Rangers have not been given written orders.

The letter also mention that army is not force traditionally used to disperse protesters. The terms of army ‘s deployment also need to be clarified under light of orders given by Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court, the letter further asserted.

Yesterday, after day long operation the government called on the army to help clear a sit-in by religious hardliners blockading the federal capital after police clashed with them, leaving six people killed and hundreds injured.

The Ministry of Interior authorised the military deployment as clashes between protesters and police spread from Islamabad to other cities, with hundreds of police officers in riot gear firing tear gas and rubber bullets into crowds.

Early on Saturday, after a midnight deadline expired, police launched an operation to clear protesters from Faizabad intersection linking Islamabad with Rawalpindi, prompting other demonstrators to take to the streets in solidarity, bringing several major cities to a virtual standstill.

A medic, Dr Masood Safdar, said five citizens were brought into the Banazir Bhutto hospital already dead from bullet wounds, and Dr Tariq Niazi of the Holy Family Hospital confirmed the death of a young man shot in the head during the violence at Faizabad .

By nightfall, protests had spread to other main cities with activists brandishing sticks and attacking cars in some areas. New demonstrators had joined the camp in Faizabad continuing the standoff with police.

Private TV channels were ordered off the air, with only state-run television PTV broadcasting.

PTV aired the report of Interior Ministry’s notification seeking armed forces’ help to maintain order in the capital and provide security to the sensitive installations and government buildings.

There was no mention of any timeline or strength of armed forces personnel to be deployed in the federal capital and the decision was left to the military to decide keeping in view the ground realities.


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