Army on its toes ahead of protests by ex-Pak PM Imran’s party

It will remain in the city from October 5-17 to maintain law and order for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

Islamabad: Pakistan Army troops were on Saturday deployed here to ensure security as jailed former premier Imran Khan‘s party moved forward with plans for a protest.

Mobilised under Article 245 of the Constitution, the army would remain in the city from October 5-17 to maintain law and order for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Pakistan is hosting the SCO summit on October 15-16.

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The deployment comes as supporters the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur moved ahead to reach the D-Chowk here to hold a protest called by Khan. The PTI is protesting for the release of its founder, Khan, while also expressing solidarity with the judiciary.

The 72-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician Khan refused to postpone the protest despite calls by the government. Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, Muhammad Ali Saif, told Geo News that the army units were deployed to deal with the PTI’s ongoing protest in the capital.

He added the army had been mobilised to ensure the security of the upcoming SCO summit. “We hold Pakistan Army in esteem,” he said, asserting that the party has no conflict with the army. Meanwhile, the protest caravan led by Gandapur, which started its journey from the Swabi area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, reached Buhran in the Attock region of Punjab around midnight.

According to Saif, Gandapur will stay for the night, and his convoy will resume its journey to D-Chowk on Saturday. “CM Gandapur will make it to D-Chowk, no matter what,” he said.

The authorities have taken strict measures to stop the PTI from entering the city or making it to the D-Chowk. All highways leading to the city have been blocked and pillion riding has been banned, while mobile phone services remained suspended for the second consecutive day.