Rawalpindi - The activists of Tehreek-e-Laibaik Ya Rasool Allah staging sit-in at Faizabad Interchange are equipped with batons and iron rods to confront with law enforcement agencies in case of action on the part of government, reliable sources disclosed to The Nation on Saturday.

They said the very charged protestors numbering over 2000 have also piled up stones to pelt the police and other officials of LEAs. “It is also believed that the protestors are also loaded with guns,” they said.

A senior officer of an intelligence agency operating in Islamabad claimed that protestors have 12 to 14 guns with them but the intelligence has failed in identifying the armed protestors. He said police and other LEAs are not in mood to take action against the protestors because of their possible reaction in case of operation against them. “Anyhow, the LEAs will act upon a modus operandi by arresting the protestors without using force,” he said. Special Branch of Punjab Police, however, ruled out possibility of possessing arms by protestors. A senior officer of SB, Rawalpindi told The Nation the protestors are equipped with sticks, iron rods and have collected stones to counter any action on part of police.

Islamabad District Administration deputed 1,000 Rangers at Faizabad on request of SSP Operations Sajid Kiyani to assist police in case of operation against the protestors, who have been occupying main entrance of Islamabad for last 13 days to press government to sack Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid for making attempt to amend Khatam-e-Nabuwwat Declaration for electoral candidates.

Islamabad police have also brought water cannons at Industrial Area Police Station to disperse the protestors besides deploying extra riot gear force to catch the protestors. Frontier Constabulary was also put on standby while containers were also placed on different points to surround the protestors. All the lock ups in police stations of twin cities have been evacuated in order to put the nabbed protestors behind the bars.

The administrations of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi also announced an emergency situation in Allied Hospitals and PIMS whereas the Rescue 1122, CDA and other private departments’ ambulances were also put on red alert to conduct rescue operation in case of clash between police and protestors. Police also established “vintage points” at Faizabad, IJP Road, Islamabad Expressway and Old Murree Road to coup with the protestors.

SSP Traffic Islamabad Malik Matloob Ahmed Awan and Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Chaudhry Yousaf Ali Shahid have evolved special traffic plans by deputing extra force in a bid to give ambulances a clear route to hospitals.

Meanwhile, Pir of Golra Sharif Syed Ghulam Nizam Uddin Jami visited the protest site and held talks with Allam Khadim Hussain Rizvi and Pir Muhammad Afzal Qadri. He told the clerics that government has contacted with him and asked him to play mediator role between the protestors and the government. Pir Syed Ghulam Nizam Uddin Jami also expressed his solidarity with the protestors of TLYR and demanded immediate resignation of federal law minister Zahid Hamid. He added his forefathers had always supported Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) but now N-League has become “Mirzani (Ahmedi) League”. He said no compromise would be made on Khatam-e-Nabuwat. “The government cannot save Islamabad if it orders operation against TLYR protestors to secure its federal minister,” he said. The very charged protestors kept bellowing slogans “Labaik Ya Rasool Allah” during address of Pir of Golra Sharif.      

Similarly, the caretaker of Gulshanabad Sharif Pir Sarkar Jee addressed the protestors at Faizabad Interchange and put his weight behind the demands of protestors. He urged the government to sack Federal Law Minister. He also asked the government to make public the report of the committee formed under supervision of Raja Zafar ul Haq.

“Our one and only demand from the government is to take resignation from Zahid Hamid, federal law minister,” said TLYR Pakistan Ameer Allama Hafiz Khadim Hussain Rizvi while talking to The Nation. He said if the federal law minister was not involved in such a shameful attempt of amending Khatm-e-Nabuwwat declaration then the government should unveil the real culprits. “TLYR will end its sit-in from Faizabad only after resignation of Zahid Hamid while our second demand would be to release 2,700 workers who were arrested across the country,” he said.