ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and several districts of Punjab ahead of the PTI’s planned march on the federal capital on Sept 27.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, the deployment has been authorised from Sept 20 to Oct 5.

“Pursuant to the request made by the chief commissioner, Islamabad Capital Territory … and Home Department, government of Punjab …, the federal government is pleased to authorise deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) in ICT and different districts of Punjab province,” the notification reads.

The deployment has been authorised under Sections 7(b) and 10 of the Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, to perform functions specified under the laws, as authorised by the Islamabad chief commissioner or the provincial government.

“The deployed troops may respond appropriately in self-defence to any threats or violent activities encountered in the course of their duties as per rules/regulations in vogue,” the notification states.

The interior ministry separately directed that in case of attacks by disruptive and armed groups, Rangers and police would take all appropriate and necessary counter-action in self-defence and take measures to deal with any violent activity.

The Punjab government on Wednesday requested the federal government to deploy Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali districts from Sept 22 to Oct 5 to assist the provincial police in maintaining law and order.

The PTI has called for a nationwide protest on Sept 27 to demand Imran’s release from jail and mobilise people for the supremacy of the Constitution.

Authorities have stepped up security measures in the capital and Punjab to maintain law and order ahead of the opposition’s planned march.

Punjab has already imposed a ban on gatherings across the province for 13 days and prohibited inciting people to “unlawful assembly”. A similar ban under Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad as well for two months.

Gatherings in the federal capital are also banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024, which had been rushed through the National Assembly amidst the opposition’s outcry ahead of a PTI gathering.

The Punjab government has also sent a letter to the federal interior ministry requesting mobile and internet services at specific locations in Rawalpindi and Attock to be downgraded or jammed on Sept 27 due to the “expected law and order situation”.

The federal government has warned against marching towards the federal capital or blocking roads there, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi cautioning PTI “not to enter a dead-end street” and hinting at a “permanent solution” to such protests.

Barrister Gohar denies ‘backdoor’ communications but open to talks

Speaking to the media on Thursday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan denied that any back-channel communications were under way, but welcomed conversation with the government given the serious circumstances.

“We do not have any formal committee for negotiations,” he clarified, adding that opposition leaders Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mehmood Khan Achakzai could “do what they wanted”.

Gohar said that while no backdoor communications were ongoing, given the “serious circumstances” and the upcoming long march, it would be a good thing to discuss the matters.

“We have guaranteed that we will be peaceful,” he added. “But despite this, you are portraying us as attackers, as people who are coming to launch a raid.”

He called on the government to answer one question: why meetings with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan were not being allowed despite a court order mandating that he be permitted to meet with his family and doctors.

Gohar also met Abbas, the Senate opposition leader, and discussed the country’s overall ongoing situation.

They exchanged views on the “provincial autonomy of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa facing growing challenges”, as well as the opposition parties’ future course of political action, an X post by Gohar said.

Earlier, Dawn learned that the PTI had been told that the federal government would not allow it to go through with the planned march on Islamabad. Discussions with leaders privy to developments had suggested that the party has been offered certain confidence-building measures (CBMs) in back-channel contacts with the powers that be.

The party has also been conveyed “in clear terms” that it would not be allowed to march on the capital, and that preparations are in place to ‘fix them for good’ in case they do go ahead with the protest.

However, when contacted, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry refuted the PTI claim that they had been offered any CBMs.

“Had the government offered any confidence-building measures, there would have been no long march,” Chaudhry told Dawn, adding that the party had made such “one-sided claims” in the past too, but they were not true.