Despite the empty warning of the Interior Minister of Pakistan Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday of calling off the march or facing consequences, the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) resumed its protest march from Gujranwala to Islamabad on Friday.
The police expected the encounter to happen with the TLP at two major security points that have been put up at the only route to Islamabad via Chenab and Jhelum rivers, reported Dawn citing a police official.
The official further informed that the Rangers would be placed on the way besides the assistance of the Punjab Police. The deployment of hundreds of Rangers and police personnel were made at the Chenab toll plaza, according to the Dawn.
The arrangements of the armoured vehicles along with riot gear have also been made, the newspaper reported citing the police sources.
A 'red line' was marked about 500 metres from the Chenab toll plaza and a notice was put up warning the protestors against breaching the line.
"Attention: Beyond this line, the responsibility for law and order lies with Pakistan Rangers (Punjab), who have been given the authority to open fire at the miscreants. All the people are strictly warned to return to their homes," read the banner as reported by Dawn.
Meanwhile, commending the protest by TLP, the President of PML-N, Shehbaz Sharif said, "When you undermine a legitimately and genuinely elected prime minister representing the will of the nation and attack parliament for petty political gains, you open the floodgates for chaos and anarchy," reported Dawn.
Earlier, Imran Khan chaired a high-level meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday to discuss the concerning situation stemming from protests by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), reported local media.
Pakistan's ministers, national security adviser and the services and intelligence chiefs attended the meet and discussed the TLP protests, said ARY News.
The country's top body of civil and military leaders also discussed matters related to national security apart from the protests.
The government is holding talks with TLP's imprisoned chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, as protests have created chaos in Punjab cities. But the second round of the talks concluded without any progress, as the deadlock persists between the TLP and the Pakistan government.
The two sides are expected to begin the third round of talks on Saturday, ARY News reported citing sources.
A spokesperson for the TLP had said that the proscribed organisation stands by its demands that it will present before the government.
"Our only demand from day one is the removal of the French ambassador," added the spokesperson, according to The News International.
On Saturday, at least three Pakistani policemen were killed and several others suffered injuries in clashes with workers of the banned Islamist group and police personnel in Lahore when hundreds of TLP workers had taken to the streets throughout the country last week to exert pressure on the government for the release of its leader Hafiz Saad Hussain Rizvi.
( With inputs from ANI )
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