Tight security, internet shutdown in Islamabad ahead of protest by ex-PM Khan’s party

Police personnel stand guard at a closed road before a protest by supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for Khan's release in Lahore on November 24, 2024. (AFP)

• Thousands of Khan supporters demanding his release from prison, judicial independence expected to reach Islamabad today
• All major roads and highways leading to Islamabad have been sealed with heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the government has been compelled to take protective measures in the capital today, Sunday, as authorities place Islamabad under a security lockdown with thousands of Imran Khan supporters expected to reach here for an anti-government protest. 
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is leading a “long march” to the capital as it seeks his release from prison. The jailed former prime minister has been in prison for well over a year on charges he says are politically motivated. The PTI is also protesting against alleged rigging in the February general elections, and seeks to highlight its concerns about judicial independence, which it claims has been undermined by the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a charge denied by the government.
Security in the capital has been beefed up with paramilitary forces deployed at various parts of the city, equipped with riot gear, to quell any unrest by protesters. Pakistan’s interior ministry announced late Saturday night that mobile data and Internet service have been shut down in sensitive areas. 
All major roads leading to Islamabad from the capital’s surrounding areas have been sealed off with shipping containers ahead of the protest. Pakistani authorities have also closed motorways at various locations to prevent Khan supporters from arriving in Islamabad. 
“I am hopeful that this drama by the PTI will come to an end tonight and that the situation will return to normalcy,” Iqbal told reporters during a news conference in Lahore. He blamed the PTI for attempting to disrupt Pakistan’s economic recovery by creating chaos.
“The government is compelled to take protective measures to safeguard the lives and properties of community members as it is the government’s responsibility to maintain law and order in Pakistan,” he said. 
Iqbal apologized to the masses for causing them inconveniences due to the security measures. 
“I also appeal to the public to understand that these measures are essential to protect everyone from the disruptive actions of the PTI,” he said. 
PTI SUPPORTERS LEAVE FOR ISLAMABAD 
Despite the government’s warnings, senior PTI leader Raoof Hasan vowed Khan’s supporters would reach Islamabad at any cost. 
“Our protesters are trying to reach Islamabad but you can see that the whole Islamabad is under lockdown,” Hasan told Arab News.
Hasan criticized the government’s security measures, saying that authorities were scared of an imprisoned Khan. He said many leaders of the party had been arrested. 
“Many PTI leaders have been arrested and so far we don’t have the number of arrests but we will share the numbers by the end of the day,” Hasan.
Meanwhile, the PTI shared video footage of its supporters from the northwestern areas of Peshawar, Buner, Bajaur, Karak and other parts of the province leaving for Islamabad. Supporters of the party are expected to reach Islamabad from Punjab and Karachi as well. 
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has also left for Islamabad from the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, the party said in a statement. 
Islamabad Police Spokesperson Jawad Taqi said police will comply with the Islamabad High Court’s orders, which had prohibited any protests in the capital.
“Security personnel from the Frontier Constabulary, Rangers, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad police are deployed in the federal capital,” Taqi told Arab News. “Today, over 12 people from different locations have been arrested.”
Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Police Ali Nasir Rizvi told reporters that the capital’s security would not be compromised during the ongoing PTI protests.
“Section 144 has been enforced in the city, banning protests, rallies, and sit-ins, and strict actions will be taken against anyone violating the law,” he said, referring to a law that prohibits public gatherings. 
A ban on public gatherings has been imposed in Punjab until Nov. 25, while the Metro Bus service between Islamabad and Rawalpindi will remain suspended on Sunday. 
Pakistan’s parliament earlier this year passed legislation regulating public demonstrations in the capital, including designated protest areas and specific timings for rallies. 
Violators risk imprisonment of up to three years for illegal gatherings and up to 10 years for repeat offenses.