Islamabad authorities have stepped up security across the federal capital after hours of negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ended without an agreement amid the party’s long march.
Containers have been positioned on key roads and around the Red Zone, while additional barriers are being moved towards entry points to the capital. Authorities are also preparing to use barbed wire to restrict access as the march progresses.
Police personnel called in from Sindh have already arrived in Islamabad, while additional forces from Punjab have been placed on standby.
The deployment of Rangers in the capital has also been extended until October 15, with around 3,000 personnel expected to remain deployed as part of the heightened security arrangements.
Speaking at a press conference, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the government would not allow a repeat of the violence witnessed on May 9 and warned against attempts to enter Islamabad in defiance of restrictions.
Naqvi blamed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi for the breakdown of negotiations and said he would bear responsibility for any loss of life resulting from the confrontation.
The interior minister also criticised Afridi over his remarks concerning the military, arguing that the provincial government should be focused on the serious security situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Naqvi said anyone attempting to enter Islamabad in violation of court directives could face contempt proceedings, warning that authorities would take action against participants in the march.
He added that the federal government would take further steps concerning Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in accordance with decisions taken by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The renewed security measures come as the political standoff continues, with PTI proceeding with the first phase of its long march through Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after negotiations failed to resolve differences between the two sides.