The federal government has sanctioned the deployment of three Pakistan Army companies to the Rawalpindi district for a six‑month period, with the Interior Ministry issuing the order on 21 August under the constitutional provision of Article 245. The troops will be tasked with carrying out sensitive security duties throughout the city and its surrounding areas.
The move is intended to augment the capacity of the local police force, which has faced mounting pressure following a spate of violent incidents, public protests and organized crime activities in recent months. By inserting a regular army presence, authorities aim to deter further disturbances, protect key infrastructure and reassure residents of heightened safety.
Article 245 allows the federal government to call upon the armed forces to assist civil administration when law‑enforcement agencies require additional support. Similar temporary deployments have taken place in other provinces—most notably in Karachi and Quetta—where the army’s involvement helped stabilize volatile situations until civilian agencies could re‑establish control.
Interior Minister Syed Ahsan Raza expressed confidence that the army’s participation will provide “immediate relief to the police and restore normalcy in the district,” while Rawalpindi’s Commissioner, Brigadier Rashid Khan, highlighted the importance of close coordination between the troops and the district police to avoid operational overlap. Opposition figures, however, cautioned that prolonged military presence could blur the line between civilian and military jurisdictions.
For the people of Rawalpindi, the deployment is expected to bring visible changes: additional checkpoints, patrols in crowded markets and rapid response teams at major traffic arteries. While many welcome the increased security, some civil‑rights groups have urged the authorities to ensure that the army’s involvement remains strictly limited to its defined mandate and does not encroach on civil liberties.
The six‑month assignment will be reviewed periodically, with the Interior Ministry and the Army Headquarters monitoring the situation to decide whether an extension or a phased withdrawal is necessary. Throughout the period, the focus will remain on strengthening the district’s law‑enforcement capabilities and maintaining public order until the regular police force can sustain operations independently.