Army deployed in Rawalpindi under Article 245 as Punjab launches Rs36bn clean water project and food safety crackdown intensifies
The federal government has authorised the deployment of three companies of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi for six months under Article 245 of the Constitution, a move that followed a shooting incident on Mall Road in which an armed man allegedly affiliated with PTI opened fire on security forces. The decision signals the authorities' determination to pre-empt civil unrest in one of the country's most strategically sensitive cities. Simultaneously, Punjab unveiled a Rs36 billion project to resolve Rawalpindi's chronic drinking water shortages, while the Pakistan Food Authority launched a renewed zero-tolerance drive against adulteration, and government engineers began planning mini-dams and ground storage tanks to mitigate urban flooding during the monsoon season.
🗳️ PFA Director Vows Zero Tolerance Against Food Adulteration in Rawalpindi
The Director Operations North of the Pakistan Food Authority paid an official visit to the PFA's Rawalpindi office and delivered a firm message that adulteration in the food supply would not be tolerated under any circumstances. The visit was part of a broader provincial initiative to reinforce food safety standards across Punjab's urban centres, with Rawalpindi identified as a priority because of its population density and the volume of food businesses operating within its boundaries. Officials stated that inspection teams would be intensifying surveillance of restaurants, food processing units, and market vendors, and that penalties for violators would be applied swiftly and without leniency. The PFA has in recent months conducted a series of high-profile raids across Punjab that have resulted in the seizure of adulterated cooking oil, substandard dairy products, and improperly stored meat, and the Rawalpindi drive is expected to follow a similarly rigorous pattern. Community members and consumer rights advocates welcomed the announcement, noting that food safety violations have long been a concern in densely populated urban areas where enforcement has historically been inconsistent. The director's visit was interpreted as a signal that the PFA intends to make Rawalpindi a model of regulatory compliance as part of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's wider governance agenda. [1]
🗳️ Punjab Approves Rs36 Billion Project to Deliver Clean Drinking Water to Rawalpindi
The Punjab government has given formal approval to a Rs36 billion infrastructure project designed to resolve what authorities described as a longstanding crisis in Rawalpindi's drinking water supply. The scheme, reported by The Nation, involves a significant expansion of the water distribution network serving the city and its surrounding areas, which have suffered from inadequate supply and water-quality issues for many years. Rawalpindi's rapid population growth and urban sprawl have placed severe pressure on infrastructure that was designed for a much smaller city, and residents in many neighbourhoods have long relied on tanker deliveries or private borewells because the civic system cannot meet demand. The project is expected to be implemented in phases, with initial work focusing on the most underserved areas of the city. Officials from the Water and Sanitation Agency of Rawalpindi, known as WASA, said the investment would transform access to safe drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents and reduce the health burden associated with contaminated sources. The approval comes as the Punjab government under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has prioritised public services investment in the province's major urban centres, and Rawalpindi's proximity to the federal capital has given it added political salience. [2]
Woman Found Dead in Rawalpindi Apartment; Family Alleges Domestic Abuse
A woman was found bound and dead inside a residential apartment in Rawalpindi, and her family has alleged that she was a victim of sustained domestic abuse, according to a report by Arab News Pakistan. The case drew immediate attention from human rights advocates and women's protection organisations, who called on the police to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation rather than allowing the matter to be minimised or suppressed under family or social pressure. Details emerging from the family's account painted a disturbing picture of a woman who had reportedly complained of mistreatment on prior occasions but whose situation had not been adequately addressed by the relevant authorities. Police personnel were deployed to the scene and an investigation was formally opened, though activists noted that such cases in Pakistan frequently face delays in judicial proceedings and that families of victims often encounter institutional obstacles when seeking accountability. The incident reignited public debate in Rawalpindi and across Pakistan about the persistence of domestic violence and the urgent need for stronger enforcement of the country's existing legal protections for women. Women's rights groups urged both local authorities and civil society to treat the case as a priority and to ensure that the victim's family receives appropriate legal assistance and support. [3]
Federal Government Authorises Six-Month Army Deployment in Rawalpindi Under Article 245
Pakistan's federal government issued a notification authorising the deployment of three companies of the Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi for a period of six months under Article 245 of the Constitution, which permits the armed forces to be used in aid of civil power. The Express Tribune reported that the decision followed a request from the Punjab Home Department and was triggered by a shooting incident on Mall Road in which an armed man identified as Muhammad Hussain, described by security sources as an active member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, opened fire on security forces and was killed in retaliatory fire. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar publicly criticised PTI in the aftermath of the incident, accusing the party of inciting violence among its supporters. The government's notification stated that the deployment was intended to help the district administration avoid undesirable situations and respond effectively to any unforeseen incidents. Rawalpindi, as a garrison city adjacent to the federal capital Islamabad, has frequently been at the centre of political confrontations in recent years, and the army's authorised presence is expected to have a stabilising effect during a period of heightened political tension. Critics of the measure, however, argued that invoking Article 245 sets a precedent that risks normalising military presence in civilian urban environments. [4]
Government Plans Mini-Dams and Ground Storage Tanks to Tackle Rawalpindi Flooding
The Punjab government has announced plans to construct check dams on streams flowing through Islamabad and to build ground storage tanks in low-lying areas of Rawalpindi in order to manage the impact of monsoon rains and reduce the risk of urban flooding in Rawalpindi Division. The initiative, reported by The News, involves the Water and Sanitation Agency working alongside other provincial bodies to identify the most flood-prone neighbourhoods and to design engineering solutions suited to their specific terrain. Rawalpindi has suffered repeated and severe flooding in recent monsoon seasons, with Nullah Lai — the seasonal stream that runs through the city — regularly overflowing its banks and inundating residential and commercial areas, causing property damage and, in some years, loss of life. The ground storage tanks would capture excess rainwater before it reaches the main drainage channels, reducing peak flow volumes and giving the city's drainage infrastructure time to cope with heavy rainfall events. Officials said the mini-dams on streams would similarly slow runoff from surrounding hills, allowing water to percolate into the ground and reducing the surge that typically overwhelms urban drainage during intense monsoon downpours. Residents of flood-affected neighbourhoods welcomed the announcement but expressed hope that the plans would move swiftly from approval to active construction, given the long history of infrastructure projects that have stalled in the planning phase. [5]
Times of India Flags Security Crisis as Pakistan Deploys Army for Sensitive Duties in Rawalpindi
The Times of India covered the army deployment in Rawalpindi with a headline that asked whether a major crisis was brewing in the city, reflecting the attention that the security measure attracted beyond Pakistan's borders. The report described the deployment under Article 245 in the context of broader political tensions between the federal government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf opposition, noting that Rawalpindi has been a recurring flashpoint in standoffs between PTI supporters and security forces. From an Indian media perspective, the situation in Rawalpindi was framed as symptomatic of Pakistan's wider political instability, with the use of military force in a densely populated civilian city viewed as a significant escalation. The TOI report highlighted the Mall Road shooting as the proximate trigger for the deployment while situating it within a longer pattern of government crackdowns on PTI demonstrations and public gatherings in Punjab. Rawalpindi's status as the home of General Headquarters, the headquarters of the Pakistan Army, lends additional sensitivity to any public order crisis in the city. Analysts quoted in regional coverage noted that the deployment, while legally authorised under the constitution, would inevitably be read by PTI supporters as another instance of state power being used to suppress political opposition, further deepening the polarisation that has characterised Pakistani politics in recent years. [6]
Sources: [1] | Associated Press Of Pakistan · [2] The Nation (Pakistan ) · [3] Arab News PK · [4] The Express Tribune · [5] The News Pakistan · [6] The Times of India