Twin cities brace for PTI march

Preparations for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, scheduled for September 27, are in their final stages in Rawalpindi Division. Over 43,000 police personnel will be deployed in Attock, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum, and Chakwal to prevent protesters from entering the twin cities. Rawalpindi and Islamabad will remain open until the march enters Punjab territory, with officials assessing the situation under a wait-and-see policy if protesters cross barriers and head closer to the twin cities.

Senior police and administrative officials, including inspectors general from Punjab, Islamabad, and Railways, are holding high-level meetings on preparations. In Rawalpindi Division, more than 43,000 personnel will handle march-related duties, with 30,000 in Attock, 14,250 at sealing points on M-1 motorway, and 11,450 on N-5 and N-80 routes. Around 5,000 personnel will be at M-14 CPEC route points. All personnel are equipped with riot-control gear.

In Rawalpindi district, over 10,000 police personnel will be deployed, with 3,100 at 26 entry points, 1,800 at 73 blocking points, 3,738 at 152 pickets, and 300 on roads connecting the twin cities. Another 1,674 will form responding teams in six sectors. Murree will have 224 personnel at 16 blocking points, while Jhelum will have 1,400 at nine blocking points. Chakwal will have 352 at 10 blocking points.

Authorities have conducted surveys of petrol pumps and hotels along GT Road and motorways, identifying locations for increased security. Rawalpindi Region, including Attock, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum, and Murree, has been provided with 666 tear-gas guns, 52,118 long-range shells, 7,243 short-range shells, and various other equipment, including 4,050 Robocop anti-riot kits, 4,000 long transparent shields, 3,050 new-pattern helmets, and 1,500 bulletproof helmets and jackets.

Transport and logistics preparations include 6 APC vans, 2 water cannons, 20 prison vans, 50 megaphones, and 12 quadcopters.