Authorities in Islamabad have sealed Red Zone by placing containers ahead of Jamaat-i-Islami sit-in protest at the D-Chowk in Islamabad and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests today (Friday), Dunya News reported.
Jamaat-i-Islami is set to hold a sit-in protest at the D-Chowk in Islamabad while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced countrywide protest against recent surge in electricity bills and the rising inflation in the country.
Key intersections in the Red Zone, including D Chowk, Nadra Chowk, and Sarina Chowk been sealed with containers.
SECTION 144 IN PUNJAB, ISLAMABAD
The federal and Punjab governments, in the meantime, have imposed Section 144 in Punjab and Islamabad amid PTI and JI plans to hold nationwide protests. According to the notification issued in this regard, Section 144 will be in effect from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28.
The Home Department, in a notification, said there would be a ban on rallies, sit-ins, protests and rallies from July 26 to July 28. It said the decision has been taken in view of threats of terrorism, adding that public gatherings could be an easy target for militants.
On the other hand, JI secretary general Ameer-ul-Azeem in a statement said that police have conducted raids on the homes of JI leaders in various cities of the country.
He said that police have targeted JI leaders and activists in a bid to disrupt the demonstration and claimed that there have been numerous incidents of police raids, arrests, and mistreatment of women in different cities.