The Punjab department of specialized health has issued a high alert in the 18 hospitals of Lahore in the wake of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf PTI long march starting from the provincial capital Lahore today (Friday). The health department has cancelled holidays/leaves of the medical staff, through a notification issued on Friday. The administrative officers of the health facilities have also been directed to remain on duty. The health department has asked for enough medical staff on duty. The notification has directed the hospital administrations to ensure availability of medicines, surgical/non-surgical tools, medical gases, blood bags and blood donors in case of any emergency. The health department has also instructed the hospitals to make their operation theatres fully operative and put additional beds in their emergency and ICU wards. A thorough strategy has been developed to keep the federal capital peaceful and safeguard locals’ lives and possessions throughout the PTI’s long march. Under the plan, the police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary would be deployed in and around the federal capital. Over 13,000 personnel of the Islamabad Police, including 4,199 officials, 1,022 personnel from Sindh, 4,265 FC and 3,600 Rangers would protect the city. As per the plan, two DIGs would command the force, while four SSPs, 11 SPs, 30 ASPs/DSPs, 60 inspectors and 304 upper subordinates would be part of the fighting force. “8,887 personnel have been equipped with the required equipment borrowed from the other law enforcement agencies to strengthen the Islamabad Police,” the security plan indicated. In order to maintain law and order in the city, 616 teargas guns, 50,050 teargas shells, 611 guns of 12 bore, 36,700 rounds of 12 bore, 2,430 masks, 374 vehicles, 17 paper ball guns, 4,000 paper balls, 15,000 spray paints and 16 megaphones have been arranged. According to the plan, three tiers of law enforcement force deployed at each point would resist the mob from the front and hurl teargas to disperse the protesters while the force deployed on their rightwing and leftwing would resort to lathi charges and arrest them.