The beleaguered ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which miserably failed to disperse Islamabad protesters despite use of force has finally handed over the gigantic task of evicting the mob to Punjab Rangers on Sunday. After no finding no way out to restore writ of state as situation remained tense for the second consecutive day at Faizabad interchange including Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Ahsan Iqbal-led Interior ministry issued a notification, authorizing director general Punjab Rangers Major General Azhar Naveed Hayat Khan, to handle and clear the sit-in.
A day ago when about 8500 personnel of Islamabad Police and Frontier Constabulary, surrendered before the protesters, the federal government called in the military in aid of civil administration in order to maintain the deteriorating law and order situation in capital.
But, it had to face embracement when, the powerful military, instead of blindly following the orders of the civil administration, wrote a letter, saying 'army is fully ready to perform the assigned task in line with its constitutional obligation, but a few aspects needed clarification prior to deployment of the army'.
"While dealing with the protesters, the police have been optimally utilized to its full capacity. Pakistan Rangers backing up to police as second tier force physically deployed with police in Islamabad have not been given written instruction as already agreed for their deployment," the letter stated.
The military also raised objections citing a verdict of the apex court, and stated that military is traditionally just not for dispersal of crowed/protesters but to quell commotion.
This prompted the federal government to issue a notification on Sunday with effect from November 26 to December 3, 2017 which fully allowed the Punjab Rangers to deal with the sit-in protesters at Faizbad and other parts of Islamabad as well as Punjab province.
The protest has already entered 22nd day, and the charged porters stood their ground despite a failed attempt to disperse for the second consecutive day. About 5000 people attended the funeral prayers of a protester killed on Saturday in clashes with police at Faizabad interchange.
The police stayed away from the protest venue on the second day after the crackdown, as Rangers personnel were seen standing guards as a first tier force to deal with any untoward situation. The convoys of people from the different parties adjoining cities kept coming to the protest venues, shouting slogans of 'no compromise of the finality of prophet-hood'. The people were allowed entry to the protest venue after being body-searched by the organizers of the protesters.
However, there was no bar on anyone who wanted to join the protesters as security personnel did not stop anyone from going to the venue. The police personnel were seen having cup of tea in the nearby hotels of I-8 Markaz for relaxing in the adjacent parks. The protesters renewed violence early Sunday morning as they pelted stones on police besides setting some motorcycles and a car on fire, but then the overall situation remained calm.
Ambulances, fire brigade vehicles, armoured personnel carriers (APCs) remained parked a few yards away from the protest venue. The air surveillance of the protesters remained continued throughout the day. The hospitals in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were also put on red alert. Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi who is leading the protesters reiterated his demands that no negotiation is possible unless someone comes with the resignation letter of law and justice minister Zahid Hamid.
"We're not going to compromise on this as it is a matter of the Holy Prophet's (PBUH) honour and dignity. If anybody wants to come for talks with us, he should come with the resignation letter of Zahid Hamid in his pocket, and then we will see," he maintained. He also claimed that a large number of his supporters have either been killed, injured or disappeared during a 'brutal' operation besides rounding up injured protesters which is no acceptable and justified.
"No pir, no cleric can go for a negotiation on our behalf...with the lethal attack on protesters who are here not for any political reason, the talks will be held on conditions set by us," he maintained. The federal directorate of education also issued a notification that all 423 educational institutions in the capital will remain shut due to present law and order situation in twin cities.
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