ISLAMABAD: Hot and sweaty under the weight of their riot gear, the policemen deployed to keep an eye on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s sit-ins have really had a rough time. Many of them have been there for almost 10 days and their frustration is now palpable.

“I have served the department to the best of my abilities for several years, but now, when it is almost time for me to retire, they are insulting us,” a police inspector from Faisalabad told Dawn from his seat near Nadra Headquarters at the entrance to the Red Zone.

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“We are only given a steady diet of rice, nothing else. There is no tea in the evening or lassi for breakfast. But worst of all is the boredom; there is nothing to do here. At least I have a chair, my boys have to lie on the grass all day,” he says, gesturing towards a group of uniformed policemen stretched out on the green belt next to him.

Most members of the Islamabad police posted in the Red Zone positioned themselves at the foot of the viewing gallery on Parade Lane and enjoyed the music blaring from the PTI enclosure.

Most policemen say deployment in Red Zone is a ‘waste of time’

“I am a commando, I’m trained to deal with dangerous situations. We were told to defend the capital, but what is this?” an officer from Islamabad complained.

“(Our superiors) keep on telling us that we have to be ready for action all the time but nothing is happening.”

“They have been withdrawing us from all the main points. This will ruin the reputation of Punjab Police, which known for its ‘effectiveness’ since the time of the British,” a police constable from Gujaranwala told Dawn, adding “The worst part is that even women give us sly, sarcastic smiles as they walk by, as if we are some kind of losers.”

Most of the police, Frontier Constabulary and Rangers personnel – who do not speak to the press much – said their deployment had been a waste of time.

“We were posted to the huge wall of containers behind the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf stage – our commander told as in the briefing on Tuesday morning to be firm and stand our ground,” a six-foot two-inch constable from Mianwali said.

A large number of the police personnel protecting the Red Zone were called in from the Gujaranwala, Faisalabad and Mianwali regions, possibly due to the government’s confidence in their political loyalties.

This has also led to a friendly rivalry between the policemen. But they take it quite seriously.

“We were told in the briefing that there should be no excuses, otherwise the contingent from Gujranwala will laugh at us - but look at us now, standing here like a herd of goats,” the policeman from Mianwali said.

Of the near 40,000-strong law enforcement presence in the capital, there are 700 army personnel, around 20,000 policemen from Punjab.

Nearly 5,000 men have been brought in from AJK, and the rest consist of FC and Rangers personnel.

“Our captain used to tell us daily in the morning briefing to stay firm and tighten our grips on the batons, but today around noon, he allowed us to casually move around, or enjoy a picnic,” said another FC personnel, buying fruits from a vendor on bicycle opposite Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

After being told to stand down, the policemen could be seen mingling with PTI and PAT supporters and chatting idly with passersby.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2014