Daily Times

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Thursday gave a free hand to the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to deal with the ongoing violent protests by the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

“The government cannot allow anyone to play with the lives and properties of citizens and it is the responsibility of the government to maintain law and order and protect public property and the government will fulfil its responsibility in all circumstances,” he underscored as he directed the LEAs to take all possible measures to maintain the law and order situation in the province.

Meanwhile, a rally comprising thousands of workers of the proscribed TLP left Kamoke and entered Gujranwala city on Thursday afternoon, as life in the areas surrounding its route continued to remain disrupted. Some 4,000 TLP workers travelled on Grand Truck Road in large trucks and buses along with their supplies, as stick-wielding activists of the group guarded the procession from all sides.

Soon after reaching the inner city, the TLP protesters set up camp on GT Road, blocking the thoroughfare. Markets in the vicinity were also closed down to avoid any untoward situation. The protesters said they would spend the night in Gujranwala before leaving for Islamabad via Wazirabad and Gujrat in the morning.

A heavy deployment of law enforcers has also been reported at different points with measures being taken to stop the rally before it reaches Islamabad.

Due to the security situation in the region, Pakistan Railways has also cancelled several scheduled trains in view of possible sit-ins in Islamabad by the proscribed right-wing outfit.

Railway operations between Lahore and Rawalpindi have been disrupted and all trains between the two cities have also been cancelled.

The route of the Tezgam Express locomotive from Lahore to Rawalpindi has been diverted from Lahore to Gujrat instead of its usual Lahore to Faisalabad via Rawalpindi route.

A day earlier, the federal government had announced the deployment of Rangers in Punjab for 60 days after at least four policemen were martyred and over 250 sustained injuries in clashes between participants of the march and law enforcers near Sadhoki.

The decision to deploy the Rangers was taken in a federal cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid told a press conference in Islamabad. According to an official notification, the Rangers will be deployed across the province for two months at the request of the provincial government.

“I am directed to convey the approval of Government of Punjab under Section 4(2) of Anti-Terrorism Act (1997) read with Article 147 of Constitution of Pakistan to entrust power to Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) in terms of section 4(3) of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 within Punjab to prevent the commission of terrorist acts,” read a letter of the Punjab government to the federal interior ministry.