ISLAMABAD - Law enforcement agencies on Sunday barred workers of Imran Khan’s Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf from entering the premises of Red Zone, which is home to sensitive buildings including Diplomatic Enclave.
“Law enforcement agencies kept the workers of Imran Khan’s PTI at an arm’s length on Sunday. A few of PTI workers attempted to enter the premises of Red Zone; however, Islamabad police along with rangers and army retaliated the attack,” a spokesperson of ICT police said.
Utterly alarmed by the attack of Imran’s party workers, the commissioner of Islamabad district sent a letter to Imran, warning the latter to keep his supporters away from the premises of Red Zone.
“Please note, you were given permission to hold rally just because you assured us that your followers would refrain themselves from entering Red Zone. We were shocked to observe that some of your followers tried to enter premises of Red Zone which is home to sensitive buildings including foreign missions. We will not tolerate if they dare violate the agreement reached between you and the Islamabad district management,” the letter sent to Imran Khan stated.
The PTI workers marched towards the Red Zone Sunday noon. They crossed the first layer of the security cordon outside Margalla Hotel. “The district administration has divided Red Zone’s security in three layers of which one has been crossed,” said a senior police officer.
Further, district administration officials had informed the government that they would not use any kind of force unless authorised ordered them to do so in writing.
Even though the law enforcement agencies retaliated the attack, it sent shocking waves among diplomats and officials of foreign missions based in Islamabad.
The district administration ordered the policemen to show great restrain and remove the barbed wire.
“We won’t hesitate to show use of force if they try to cross the drawn limits,” said the official who directed the police personnel to remove the wire and let PTI workers reach the containers.
The clash was about to happen had PTI leader Naeemul Haq and other leadership not arrived in time to pacify his workers. Naeem and Dr Ismail urged the workers to remain peaceful and do not cross limits.