LAHORE - A top civilian intelligence agency has prepared lists of PTI second and third-tier leadership for their possible detention ahead of Imran Khan’s plan to re-launch the Azadi march on November 30, it is reliably learnt.
Sources close to the members of the top civilian secret service told The Nation on Wednesday that political section in the internal wing of the agency, following the ruling elite’s directions, has prepared PTI’s second and third-tier leadership lists and forwarded the same to the law enforcers for their possible detention ahead of November 30.
They revealed that second and third-tier leadership included district and tehsil leaderships, including a few provincial leaders of Punjab.
They further disclosed that additional staff has been provided to the political section of the agency from other sections to meet the requirements of multi-type of surveillance and information-gathering operation relating to the PTI top leaders, second and third-tier leadership to counter the November 30 march.
The sources said the civilian secret service had suggested to the ruling party that PTI leaders should be taken into protective custody and be freed after the re-launch of Azadi show on November 30.
They were of the view that second and third-tier leadership had been directed by the PTI high command to bring the people from their areas to Islamabad on November 30.  The agency has advised the government, in an advisory, to give a free hand to the PTI as Imran Khan might not be able to stage a successful show this time. Some of his leaders could make efforts for confrontation with the law enforcers with the assistance of Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, an ally of Imran Khan, to make the November 30 show successful. According to the assessment of the civilian secret service, PTI might be able to amass only a few thousand participants on November 30.
The agency also advised the government to arm the law enforcers with cane sticks only in the inner cordon to avoid any untoward incident in case of confrontation. The agency proposed posting of experienced law enforcers, capable of handling a stressful situation.
Meanwhile, a top member of the ruling party told this correspondent that there were two opinions among the party’s policymaking circles with regard to dealing with the PTI November 30 show.
He said, “Hawks camp in the party is of the view that PTI should be dealt with iron hands in order to maintain the writ of the state and improve its impression in the international community which is seeing Pakistan a state with no writ even in the federal capital.”
He added, “Doves group in the party is of the view that the government should give a free hand to Imran Khan, as taking any stern measure could provide an excuse to PTI for creating a confrontational situation which would benefit them.”
This group further opines that the government should consider the intelligence inputs which see no political threat from the November 30 show, so PTI may be given a free hand.