PTI protest at D-Chowk: police to deploy 4,000 officers for security measures

ISLAMABAD, Oct 03: In anticipation of a potential protest by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party at D-Chowk, the Rawalpindi police have deployed 4,000 officers to ensure security and maintain order.
PTI founder Imran Khan has called for a protest at D-Chowk on October 4 (Friday). In response, Islamabad has implemented strict security measures, while police and relevant agencies in Rawalpindi have also been put on high alert.
The Rawalpindi police are actively conducting raids to apprehend known and unidentified leaders and activists involved in cases registered on September 28. Sources indicate that over 150 leaders and workers have already been arrested, and special tasks have been assigned to the Rawalpindi police to deal with the upcoming protest.
It has been decided to seal off the entry points to Rawalpindi and the routes leading into Islamabad, deploying a heavy police presence in these areas. Key locations at the intersection of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, such as Rawat Chowk, Khanna Bridge on the Islamabad Expressway, Gulzar-e-Quaid, and Faizabad Interchange, will see police barricades and containers set up. This operation will begin on Thursday night.
CPO Rawalpindi Khalid Hamdani stated that all necessary security arrangements have been completed to maintain law and order during the potential protest. Over 4,000 police officers and personnel will be on duty, ensuring the security of all major thoroughfares and entry/exit points in the city. Specially trained teams will be deployed to deal with any disruptions to peace, and legal action will be taken against those damaging public or private property.
CPO Hamdani emphasized that any disruption of peace or damage to property will not be tolerated, and the rule of law will be upheld at all costs. He urged parents to ensure their children do not participate in any unlawful activities.
It is noteworthy that during the September 28 protests, over 30 locations in Rawalpindi were blocked with containers, and 34 police checkpoints were established with a significant police presence. Following these protests, PTI founder and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was named in three cases under the Anti-Terrorism Act and other charges, with over 400 unidentified activists implicated in five separate cases across five police stations. Over 150 arrests have been made, and further raids are ongoing.