RAWALPINDI - The participants of Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (SAW) rally taken out by the Sunni Tehreek entered the city after successful negotiations with bosses of Rawalpindi police on Wednesday night.
The participants of the rally led by Dr Ashraf Asif Jilali arrived from Lahore via GT Road to protest changes made to the Khatam-e-Nabuwat declaration for electoral candidates.
The rally was started from Lahore and stayed at Rewat T-Chowk where the participants staged a sit-in after the reports that the administration and police erected barricades at the Soan River Bridge to stop the rally from entering in the twin cities.
The participants conveyed the message to administration through the police and demanded that they were allowed to go to Islamabad via Murree Road. They threatened to stage a sit-in at Rawat if the permission was not granted.
The ST leaders held talks with City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi during which they ensured police the participants would not go berserk and would follow the law.
On this, the administration gave permission to use Murree Road to go to Islamabad. And the rally went to Islamabad via District Courts Chowk. “The administration got approval from the Punjab government and it allowed to give a safe passage to Islamabad,” said a senior official of district administration.
He said that the traffic was diverted to clear the way for the rally. However, he said there was a plan to stop the rally at Rewat so that the participants would not enter the city areas.
SP Potohar Division Syed Ali, who was performing security duty at Katcheri Chowk, said: "Police were fully prepared to guard the rally while passing through the Cantt and garrison city,".
He added a comprehensive security plan has been evolved to avoid any terrorist activity in the rally. "We will provide adequate security to participants of rally," said Syed Ali.
On the other hand, a massive traffic ham was also seen on GT Road, DHA-2, Islamabad Expressway and its linking roads due to march of protestors.