Pakistan: Islamabad In Lockdown Ahead Of Planned Protest By Imran Khan’s PTI – News18

Last Updated:November 24, 2024, 15:44 IST

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned the Imran Khan-led PTI that a sit-in or a protest will not be allowed in Islamabad as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is due to arrive in the capital

Islamabad enforced stringent measures on Sunday to thwart the highly anticipated protest march by Imran Khan-led PTI. All roads leading to the venue were closed while internet and telephone services were partially suspended.

According to sources, Metro and railway services were also closed along with a massive mobilisation of forces from across Pakistan. A heavy police contingent reached the GT Road at Hasan Abdal in Attock district to stop the procession moving towards Islamabad, they said.

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that a sit-in or a protest will not be allowed in Islamabad as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is due to arrive in the capital. Any attempts to disrupt public order will be met with legal action, he said.

He said an 80-member delegation from Belarus will be landing in Islamabad, kickstarting Lukashenko’s three-day visit to the country.

WHY THE PROTEST?

Ignoring calls by the government to postpone the protest – the second one in as many months – Khan’s PTI declared that it will go ahead with its planned march to Islamabad coinciding with the arrival of the Belarusian president. The party has called on the public to join the march to “break the shackles of slavery” and Khan, in a statement, urged the masses to unite calling it a movement for freedom and justice.

Earlier in the day, PTI leaders held a high-level meeting at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s house to finalise the strategy for the planned protest, Geo News reported. Last week, the PTI gave a call for a long march to Islamabad to press for three demands: the release of the incarcerated party founder and other leaders, against the alleged “stolen mandate” during February 8 elections and restoration of the judiciary by revoking the recent 26th amendment to the Constitution that granted legislators more power in appointing top judges.

Relations between the PTI and the coalition government led by PML-N have been tense since Khan’s ouster in 2022, getting strained even more in recent times.

WHAT MEASURES HAS THE GOVT TAKEN?

The federal government has taken several steps to block the protest, including deploying heavy security forces, sealing key roads, and setting up barriers around the capital. It has blocked routes leading to the Red Zone, where critical government buildings are located.

Containers have been placed across the city, including along the Srinagar Highway, GT Road, and the Expressway, limiting access to strategic areas like D-Chowk, Islamabad Airport, and the A-11 point at New Margalla Road.

Rangers, along with police and Frontier Constabulary (FC), have been deployed to monitor the area. The government has also warned against any unlawful protests, stating that no one will be permitted to hold a demonstration in violation of judicial orders, with legal action promised against any violators.

Section 144, which prohibits gatherings of individuals, has been in effect in Islamabad since November 18. The Punjab government, too, has enforced Section 144 across the province from November 23 to 25, banning protests, public gatherings, rallies and sit-ins.

Also, Pakistan Railways has suspended all train services between Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar in light of the ongoing PTI protest, the Express Tribune reported.

According to railway authorities, services between Peshawar and Rawalpindi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, as well as between Multan and Faisalabad to Rawalpindi, have been halted immediately. Additionally, all 25 train bookings for Sunday have been cancelled, and passengers will receive immediate ticket refunds.

Internet and mobile services have been partially suspended in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab as a precaution. Users in Islamabad are facing partial disruptions in internet services at various locations, while it remains unhindered in neighbouring Rawalpindi.

Public transport, including metro bus services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, has been halted, and all bus terminals at Faizabad, linking the twin cities, have been barricaded.

Location :

Islamabad, Pakistan