Red zone in Islamabad extended till Faisal Avenue

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police announced on Friday the extension of the capital’s red zone to include Faisal Avenue, in a move aimed at enforcing Section 144 and preventing potential violations.

The expansion stretches the red zone from Ataturk Avenue to Faisal Avenue, following a request by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad to the local administration.

The expansion is reportedly seen by many as a preemptive measure against protests planned by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

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Earlier, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration denied a protest request from the PTI, who cited the enforcement of Section 144 in the city.

The administration said that under section 144, protests of any kind would not be permitted within the city limits under any circumstances.

Under Section 144, the district administration has the authority to ban protests for specific period of time.