The Red Zone in the federal capital was completely sealed on Friday in view of a protest announced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the opposition alliance.
Main gates of the Parliament House were closed, while heavy police contingents were deployed both inside and outside the premises. A prisoner van and an armoured vehicle were also stationed in front of Parliament House as security was tightened.
Shahrah-e-Dastoor was fully blocked from Radio Pakistan Chowk, where a large number of police personnel gathered. Law enforcement officials did not allow any citizen or member of the assembly to proceed towards Parliament.
PTI lawmakers Iqbal Afridi and Umair Niazi were also stopped at Radio Pakistan Chowk.
A heated exchange took place between police and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Fatahullah Khan after he was prevented from heading towards Parliament. The PPP lawmaker alleged that members of the police team slapped his guard during the altercation.
Meanwhile, the opposition alliance has decided to stage a sit-in outside Parliament House until a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan is arranged and his complete medical treatment ensured.
According to sources, a meeting of opposition leaders was held in Islamabad, where it was decided that the protest sit-in would continue outside Parliament House until access to the PTI founder is granted and his treatment completed.
Sources said the central leadership of PTI will lead the sit-in at the main entrance of Parliament House. All members of the National and provincial assemblies, as well as senators, have been directed to reach Parliament House in this regard.
Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said a peaceful protest sit-in would begin outside Parliament House from tomorrow. “We will present our demands at the sit-in. The protest will continue until our demands are accepted. If, God forbid, anything goes wrong in accepting the demands, the government will be responsible,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention that a report regarding facilities available to the PTI founder at Adiala Jail has surfaced, in which Imran Khan has claimed that vision in his right eye has reduced to only 15 percent.
