The Rawalpindi district administration has announced that all schools and colleges will remain operational on Tuesday, with both intra-city and inter-district transport services continuing as usual. This decision comes as security measures are being significantly increased in the twin cities ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) planned march on Islamabad scheduled for September 27, alongside Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) ongoing protest campaign.
The deputy commissioner of Rawalpindi confirmed that all routes within the city, as well as those linking Rawalpindi to Islamabad, will stay accessible. This clarification follows Islamabad authorities’ decision to close 24 public educational institutions in the federal capital starting Tuesday. The closures aim to accommodate police personnel arriving from various provinces for enhanced security duties.
The temporarily closed institutions in Islamabad are spread across multiple sectors, including G-6, F-6, F-7, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-13, I-9, and I-10, as well as peripheral areas such as Bari Imam, Malpur, Tarnol, Sihala, and the Rawal Dam vicinity. Other schools and colleges in Islamabad will remain open, with principals and non-teaching staff at the affected institutions required to report for duty.
These measures form part of a broader security strategy as political parties prepare for significant protests and marches. PTI has announced a nationwide protest culminating in a march on Islamabad on September 27, demanding the release of its founder and former prime minister, Imran Khan. The party’s leadership in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reaffirmed on Monday their commitment to proceed with the march despite government warnings and restrictions.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami has already initiated a protest march against the petroleum levy. JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman launched the movement on Sunday from Karachi, with party caravans and a train march advancing toward the federal capital. The party demands the removal of the petroleum levy and has vowed to continue its protest until this demand is met.
In response to these developments, authorities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have intensified security arrangements, deploying additional police forces and strengthening control at key entry points. The security plan anticipates the deployment of over 22,000 personnel in Islamabad under the supervision of eight deputy inspectors general, with further contingents requisitioned for Rawalpindi and Attock.
Attock is a critical route for protesters traveling from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab and Islamabad. Police there are reportedly summoning approximately 30,000 personnel for security duties. Similarly, Rawalpindi police have requested extra forces, and police leave in the district has been suspended until October 1, except for cases of extreme emergency.
Authorities have arranged accommodations for incoming police officers and personnel, utilizing government buildings, schools, colleges, sports complexes, marriage halls, and police stations. Containers have been placed at strategic locations throughout the twin cities as part of the security infrastructure. Despite these measures, the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner emphasized that all routes within Rawalpindi and between Rawalpindi and Islamabad remain open.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a warning to PTI on Monday, urging the party to reconsider its plans for the September 27 march. The government has stressed that while political parties have the right to protest, maintaining public order and adhering to court directives are paramount.
With the JI protest already underway and PTI preparing for its upcoming mobilization, security operations in and around Islamabad are expected to remain heightened in the days ahead.
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