Pakistan government authorizes army deployment in Rawalpindi

The decision comes days after a man allegedly linked to former prime minister Imran Khan's party.

The Pakistan government has authorised the deployment of the army in Rawalpindi for six months following a request from the Punjab home department for what it described as "sensitive security duties". The decision allows three companies of the Pakistan Army to be deployed in the city under Article 245 of the Pakistani Constitution, which permits the armed forces to assist the civil administration in maintaining security. "The federal government, exercising the powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan, is pleased to authorise the deployment of three companies of the Pakistan Army for sensitive security duties in Rawalpindi," according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control on Friday. The notification said the deployment was intended to prevent a potential security problem and ensure that authorities could respond quickly if an unexpected situation arose. It said that the decision was taken "to avoid any undesirable situation as well as to respond effectively in any unforeseen situation as per the requirement of the district administration".

Army deployment follows security incident

The decision comes days after a man allegedly linked to former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party opened fire at security forces in Rawalpindi. He was subsequently killed in retaliatory firing. State-run PTV News, citing security sources, reported that the attacker was a resident of Khyber district and an "active PTI member". According to the report, a PTI flag, bullets and weapons were recovered from him. The PTI, however, rejected any connection with the incident. The party said it had nothing to do with terrorism and accused authorities of attempting to associate the party with the attack.

Rawalpindi has strategic importance

The deployment is particularly significant because Rawalpindi is home to the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters, the military's top command centre. The city is therefore an important military and administrative centre, and the decision to deploy army personnel there comes amid heightened security concerns following the recent shooting incident. The deployment has been authorised for six months, with the troops to perform duties requested by the district administration under the constitutional provision allowing the military to assist civilian authorities.