Islamabad seeks 10 day Rangers extension
Islamabad administration requested a 10 day extension of Pakistan Rangers deployment in the federal capital from Oct 5 to Oct 15, 2026. The request came ahead of the PTI long march scheduled to begin Oct 4.
The letter from the chief commissioner asked for 3,000 Rangers with command structure to be extended. Earlier notification had authorised deployment from Sept 20 to Oct 5. Additional personnel from Sindh and Punjab police have been deployed to prevent protestors from entering Islamabad.
The interior ministry has directed Rangers and police to take counter action against attacks by disruptive groups. Gatherings in the capital are banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024. The federal government warned against marching into the city, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi cautioning PTI not to enter a dead end street.
