Army deployed in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday morning called in the army in Islamabad to maintain law and order and issued shoot-at sight order against rioters as PTI marchers moved to D Chowk.

In an unfortunate incident, some people in vehicles hit and ran over bystanders at Chungi No 26 in which three Rangers and a policeman along with a civilian were martyred and five others injured.

Senior journalist Matiullah Jan was at Pims and talked to a man who said his brother was one of the deceased. He claimed that Rangers and police were shelling on PTI protesters and when they ran out of tear gas shells the law enforcers drove away from the crowds. In trying to get out, the incident occured causing the casualties.

He said his brother Muhammad Ilyas was standing on a roadside when the incident occured. He said Ilyas had retired from Rangers six months ago and lived in G-13.

On the other hand, the government said that the Rangers personnel embraced martyrdom when a hit and run vehicle among the PTI protesters crashed them.

Meanwhile, army has been deployed in the federal capital and the protesters have been warned that anyone breaking the law and resorting to violence in the name of protest would be dealt with an iron hand.

According to the reports, so far one policeman has been killed and over 100 police personnel have sustained injuries in clashes with the PTI marchers.

Geo News reported that PTI founder Imran Khan had agreed to the government offer of holding the protest st Parade Ground and conveyed his message to the PTI leaders but his wife Bushra Bibi did not agree and started leading the marchers towards Islamabad from Chungi No 26.

When this report was filed on Tuesday morning, the situation in Islamabad was tense.