ISLAMABAD: The federal government has approved the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and various districts of Punjab to assist law-enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order and dealing with security threats.
The deployment was authorised by the Ministry of Interior following requests from the Chief Commissioner Islamabad and the Punjab government, allowing the Rangers to exercise legal powers and provide full support to the police.
According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior, the deployment has been made 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 directs the Rangers and police to take all appropriate and necessary action in self-defence against attacks by violent or armed groups.
The Interior Ministry has also directed the law-enforcement personnel to take all necessary measures to deal with any violent activity or security threat and ensure the protection of public life and property.
The federal government has approved the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and several districts of Punjab to support law enforcement and maintain public order.
The deployment, requested by the Chief Commissioner Islamabad and the Punjab government, has been authorized… pic.twitter.com/suRCHg1tV0
— Eagle Eye (@zarrar_11PK) September 24, 2026
The deployed Rangers personnel will perform duties related to maintaining law and order and provide security assistance to the civil administration and police, the ministry said.
Earlier, Punjab’s home department, in a letter to the Federal Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control, sought deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali cities.
It said that the Punjab home department requested the deployment of three companies of the Rangers in Rawalpindi, including one for Rawalpindi city and two for Taxila. Five companies were sought for Attock, while Jhelum and Mianwali have each been allocated one company.
September 27 March
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a protest and march to Islamabad for September 27, seeking the release of its founder, Imran Khan.
The proposed march has become the subject of proceedings before the Islamabad High Court after a citizen petition raised concerns about possible disruption to traffic, businesses and routine life in the capital.
Court directions
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on September 14 ruled that no political party or its leadership has the lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas, and buildings for political protests and disrupt public life.
A three-member bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, Justice Muhammad Azam Khan and Justice Muhammad Asif, disposed of a plea against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) announced long march, directing the chief ministers of all provinces to ensure that no government resources or official machinery were used in this regard.
A citizen, Waqas Ahmed, had challenged the protest, arguing that it could disrupt normal life, traffic and business activities in the federal capital.
The larger IHC bench directed provincial governments to ensure that government machinery and resources were not used for political rallies, marches or protests. The court also ruled that government employees could not be compelled to participate in such activities.
ALSO READ: No Political Party Can Block Roads, Use Govt Resources for Politics: Islamabad High Court
Moreover, no public servant should be compelled to participate in any march, procession or rally, the court ruled.
Any person, public office holder who undertook any activity against these instructions should be deemed to have violated the Constitution, it said.
The court directed the Islamabad administration and the interior ministry to ensure protection of citizens’ constitutional rights, and the chief secretaries and provincial police chiefs to ensure implementation of court directives.
