Islamabad - Police along with personnel of other enforcement agencies on Tuesday made very tight security arrangements to shield Maryam Nawaz Sharif on the eve of her appearance before an apex court of federal capital in connection with hearing of a plea against conviction in Avenfield reference.
Following the orders of Inspector General of Islamabad Police Muhammad Amir Zulfiqar Khan, as many as 550 well-equipped cops were deputed inside and outside of Islamabad High Court (IHC) to avoid any untoward incident.
Besides, heavy contingents of Rangers, Counter Terrorism Department and Frontier Constabulary (FC) were also assisting the cops of Islamabad police. The security measures were being monitored jointly by DIG (Operations) Waqar Uddin Syed, SP I-9 Zone Zubair Sheikh and SP Saddar (Zone) Sarfraz Virk, according to a police spokesman.
Similarly, Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), under the command of SSP Farrukh Rashid, regulated the traffic flow on occasion of appearance of Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, in IHC.
All roads from all sides to court were blocked causing immense trouble for government employees, common citizens, commenters, lawyers and workers/leaders of PML-N who headed Islamabad to accord welcome to their beloved leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
The police and personnel of other LEAs had not allowed scores of lawyers and leaders of PML-N including ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Engineer Ameer Muqam, former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Musadiq Malik, Sania Ashiq and Saira Tarar. An exchange of harsh words also occurred between the PML-N leaders, lawyers and personnel of security forces outside IHC. PML-N leaders accused the cops and personnel of LEAs of misbehaving with them.
Similarly, lawyers could also been seen arguing with police officers when they were barred from entering in court.
The lawyers said the cops have not even allowed them to park their vehicles near court and have pushed them about 1km away to park the vehicles.
Moreover, heavy rainfall doubled the miseries of tens of hundreds of PML-N workers and leaders who gathered outside IHC to accord a tumultuous welcome to Maryam Nawaz Sharif upon her arrival. Some workers of PML-N took shelter under the trucks of police during heavy rain.
Nonetheless, journalists were allowed to enter court after thorough body search by the police.
Earlier, the convoy of Maryam Nawaz Sharif left Bagh-e-Shaheedan (the residence of Mian Nawaz Sharif) Kashmir Point for Islamabad to appear before court.
Despite rain and fog in Murree, a good number of party leaders including former Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting/Senator Pervaiz Rashid and workers accorded warm welcome to their leader by showering rose petals at the vehicle of Maryam Nawaz. While surrounding the vehicle and holding party flags and portraits of leaders, the very charged workers of PML-N chanted slogans against PM Imran Khan and his aides and in favour of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. “Teri Awaz, Meri Awaz, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz” was the most echoed slogan. Surprisingly, Murree police had not provided security to Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of ex-PM Mian Nawaz Sharif, during her journey from Murree to Bhara Kahu.
As the convoy of Maryam Nawaz entered in Bhara Kahu, tens of hundreds of jubilant workers of PML-N poured on main roads and showered rose petals on vehicle with Maryam Nawaz on board. Once again the very charged workers of PML-N started anti-government slogans. On the occasion, Maryam Nawaz came out of her vehicle and waved towards the jubilant workers and local leaders of PML-N. Islamabad police cops provided adequate security to convoy of Maryam Nawaz from Bhara Kahu to IHC.
SSP (Operations) Rawalpindi Tariq Walayat, when contacted by The Nation to know about security measures made by police to protect Maryam Nawaz, refused to comment and advised this correspondent to approach Rawalpindi police spokesman for the purpose.
