Islamabad, September 24, 2026: The federal government has authorised the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and several districts of Punjab ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s planned march on the federal capital on September 27.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, the deployment has been authorised from September 20 to October 5 on requests from the Islamabad chief commissioner and the Punjab Home Department.
The Rangers personnel will be deployed in ICT and various districts of Punjab under Sections 7(b) and 10 of the Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The notification authorises the troops to perform functions specified under the relevant laws and respond in self-defence to threats or violent activities encountered during their duties.
The Interior Ministry has separately directed that Rangers and police take appropriate counter-action in self-defence in the event of attacks by disruptive or armed groups and take necessary measures to deal with violent activities.
The Punjab government had requested the deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali from September 22 to October 5 to assist provincial police in maintaining law and order.
The PTI has announced a nationwide protest on September 27, demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan and calling for the supremacy of the Constitution.
Authorities have intensified security measures in Islamabad and Punjab ahead of the planned protest. Punjab has imposed a 13-day ban on gatherings and prohibited incitement to “unlawful assembly”, while a similar ban under Section 144 is in force in Islamabad for two months.
Public gatherings in the federal capital are also subject to restrictions under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024.
The Punjab government has additionally requested the federal Interior Ministry to downgrade or suspend mobile and internet services at specified locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on September 27, citing the expected law and order situation.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned the PTI against marching towards the federal capital or blocking roads, while the government has maintained that security measures are aimed at maintaining law and order.
PTI denies back-channel talks
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan has denied reports of ongoing back-channel communications with the government, while saying the party remains open to talks given the current circumstances.
“We do not have any formal committee for negotiations,” Gohar told reporters, adding that opposition leaders Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mahmood Khan Achakzai could pursue discussions if they wished.
Gohar said the PTI had given assurances that its protest would remain peaceful, rejecting portrayals of the planned march as an attempt to launch an attack.
He also questioned why meetings were allegedly not being allowed with incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan despite a court order concerning access to his family and doctors.
Earlier media reports had suggested that the government had conveyed that the PTI would not be allowed to proceed with its planned march and that certain confidence-building measures had been discussed through back-channel contacts.
However, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry rejected the claim that the government had offered any such measures.
“Had the government offered any confidence-building measures, there would have been no long march,” Chaudhry said, describing the PTI’s claims as one-sided and saying similar claims had been made in the past.
