Rawalpindi on high alert as Islamabad braces for possible US-Iran talks

Rawalpindi and Islamabad moved into an intensified security posture on Saturday as Pakistani authorities prepared for the possibility of another round of United States-Iran diplomacy in the federal capital. More than 10,000 police personnel had been deployed in Rawalpindi alone, with the arrangements centred on the expected arrival of foreign delegations and the protection of sensitive routes linking Nur Khan Airbase to Islamabad’s high-security zone.

According to officials cited by the newspaper, the deployment is not limited to routine policing. The security layout includes over 600 special pickets across entry and exit points, 400 elite commandos, 100 snipers, 4,000 Punjab Highway Patrol personnel and 200 Dolphin Force officers. Police said the deployment began from midnight on April 18, reflecting how seriously the state is treating even the possibility of a fresh diplomatic round involving Washington and Tehran.

Authorities also outlined an expansive operational plan for the garrison city. More than 3,600 police personnel were assigned to the first shift and another 3,500 to the second, while rooftops along key corridors were to be watched by snipers linked to ground teams through wireless communication. Roads and connecting streets from Chohan Chowk to Koral Chowk were to be sealed or tightly controlled, and the Special Branch was ordered to carry out search and sweep activity in surrounding areas.

Senior police officials said the planning followed directions issued by Rawalpindi City Police Officer Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani during a meeting at Police Lines Headquarters. Dawn reported that the session brought together senior operations, investigation and traffic officers, with instructions to enforce a layered security regime. Quick Response Unit teams were placed on alert patrol, entry points were put under stricter checking, and Safe City surveillance systems were tasked with round-the-clock monitoring so that command officials could track developments in real time.

The measures extend beyond Rawalpindi. In Islamabad, officials told Dawn that advance teams from the US and Iran could begin arriving on Sunday to coordinate protective arrangements with Pakistani authorities, although no formal date for renewed talks has been announced. Managements of hostels, hotels, inns and guest houses in the capital were reportedly told to close their premises until further notice, while authorities also considered vacating seminaries near the high-security zone. Entry points to the Red Zone were sealed except for the Margalla Road access reserved for government vehicles.

The scale of the response shows how much Pakistan now sees its role as larger than that of a passive venue. Islamabad hosted direct US-Iran talks on April 11 and 12, the highest-level engagement between the two countries since 1979. Those talks did not produce an agreement, but they also did not collapse. Pakistani officials have since continued efforts to keep both sides engaged, while the Foreign Office has maintained that no date has yet been finalised for a second round and that confidentiality remains central to the process.

The current alert level also draws from the volatile regional backdrop. Pakistan’s civil and military leadership has been engaged in active shuttle diplomacy, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif travelling to key regional capitals and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir leading contacts with Tehran. The broader ceasefire between the US and Iran, brokered on April 8 after weeks of conflict, remains fragile and is due to expire on April 22, making any resumed negotiations especially sensitive.

For residents of the twin cities, the diplomatic significance comes with a clear social cost. Police said alternative traffic plans were being prepared, vendors supplying containers were placed on standby for road closures, and a local holiday in Islamabad was under consideration if delegations arrive. A Tablighi ijtema scheduled for April 24 to 26 could also face rescheduling if talks are held later in the week. In practical terms, that means citizens, students, transport operators and businesses may all experience disruptions even before any official announcement of talks is made.

Pakistan’s handling of the situation is being closely watched because it reflects a rare moment in which the country is trying to convert geography, military preparedness and diplomatic access into strategic relevance. Hosting high-stakes negotiations between adversaries gives Islamabad international visibility, but it also imposes a heavy burden: any lapse in security, logistics or public communication would quickly undermine that credibility. The extensive deployment in Rawalpindi suggests the state wants to signal that it is prepared to shoulder that responsibility.

The immediate next step will depend on whether the expected advance teams arrive and whether Washington and Tehran agree on the terms for another meeting. For now, Pakistan is preparing as though a breakthrough opportunity still exists, while stopping short of declaring that the talks are confirmed. Until the two sides settle the timing and framework, Rawalpindi and Islamabad are likely to remain in a state of guarded readiness, balancing public inconvenience against what could become another pivotal moment in regional diplomacy.