Lahore (The COW News Digital)The Punjab government has stepped up security preparations ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march scheduled for September 27, requesting the federal government to deploy Rangers in four districts and Army personnel in Rawalpindi.
According to official sources and reports, the Punjab Home Department has sought Rangers deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali. The requested deployment is intended to assist law-enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order amid heightened political activity surrounding the planned PTI march towards Islamabad.
The Punjab government has also requested the deployment of Army personnel in Rawalpindi. The proposed deployment of the Army and Rangers has been sought until October 5, extending security arrangements beyond the date of the planned march.
According to details reported about the Punjab Home Department’s request, three Rangers companies have been sought for Rawalpindi, including one for Rawalpindi city and two for Taxila. Five Rangers wings have been requested for Attock, while Jhelum and Mianwali have each been allocated one company. The request was reportedly considered by the Punjab Cabinet’s Standing Committee on Law and Order before being forwarded to the federal authorities.
The security measures come as authorities in Punjab and Islamabad prepare for possible large-scale political activity on September 27. PTI has announced a march towards the federal capital as part of its campaign for the release of party founder Imran Khan. The party has said the planned mobilisation will continue as a political protest.
Security preparations have also intensified in Islamabad. Islamabad Police has requested 18,000 additional personnel from Punjab and Sindh to reinforce the capital’s security arrangements. The request includes 16,000 personnel from Punjab Police and 2,000 from Sindh Police. Police authorities have also sought the services of three Deputy Inspectors General, seven Senior Superintendents of Police and 18 Superintendents of Police.
Authorities have been preparing additional security arrangements around Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock, including the deployment of extra police personnel and the positioning of containers at strategic locations. Reports indicate that preparations are being coordinated to manage traffic, secure sensitive locations and respond to any law-and-order situation during the political activity.
The Rawalpindi and Attock areas are considered particularly important because of their routes connecting Punjab with the federal capital and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As September 27 approaches, security agencies are continuing to finalise deployment plans and logistical arrangements.
The Punjab government has maintained that the additional security measures are aimed at maintaining public order and protecting lives and property. The final deployment of federal security forces will depend on the relevant federal authorities and formal approvals.
With the PTI march only days away, the requests for Army and Rangers assistance, along with Islamabad Police’s demand for thousands of additional personnel, reflect the scale of the security preparations being undertaken across Punjab and the federal capital.
