Daily Times

The district administration of Islamabad on Friday refused to issue a no objection certificate (NOC) to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for staging a long march in the city on Sunday, a private TV channel reported. Instead, the federal capital has started to preparations as it braces for the marchers. The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) district administration has written to the PTI leadership, explaining reasons for rejecting the NOC. It stated during their last long march on May 25, when the Islamabad Capital Territory administration had issued an NOC to the party, the march participants violated the terms and created a law and order situation in the federal capital and attempted to breach the red zone. The letter suggested that the capital’s administration was wary of granting similar permissions to PTI’s long marchers again. It directed the PTI leadership to submit signed affidavits and sworn statements that they will remain peaceful during their march. On the other hand, the ICT police and district administration have started to prepare for the PTI long march. The police conducted a flag march along the various proposed long march routes in the federal capital. During the flag march, the police personnel also committed themselves to maintain the rule of law in the federal capital. Further, the capital administration started cordoning off the red zone by placing containers at Express chowk, Ayub chowk, and Nadra chowk. Further, an advisory was issued for the citizens entering the red zone.