Pakistan: Security tightened ahead of planned protest by Imran Khan’s party

The National Motorway and Highways Authority, citing repair work, announced the closure of key routes, including the two main roads connecting Peshawar and Lahore to Islamabad.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday closed down highways towards the national capital, partially suspended internet and mobile services, halted public transport, blocked important roads here with containers and deployed heavy security as jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party seemed adamant about its protest march on Sunday.

Ignoring calls by the government to postpone the protest – the second one in as many months – Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) declared to go ahead with its planned march to Islamabad coinciding with the arrival of a large Belarusian delegation even as the authorities issued a warning of a potential threat during the protest.

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The PTI gave a call last week 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.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier on Saturday informed PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan that the government would not allow any sit-ins or rallies in Islamabad due to security concerns during the official visit of the high-ranking Belarusian delegation.

Led by President Alexander Lukashenko, the 80-member Belarusian delegation is scheduled to visit Islamabad from November 24 to 27.

Radio Pakistan reported that Naqvi and Gohar held a detailed discussion about the current situation. The interior minister also informed the PTI leader about the Islamabad High Court order to maintain peace during the visit of the foreign delegation.

Gohar said he will inform the Interior Minister about the final response after party consultation, a Radio Pakistan report said.

However, in a video shared by PTI’s official X account regarding Sunday’s protest march, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said the protest would go ahead and “we all have to reach D Chowk on November 24 and not move from there until our demands are met.”

“No matter how many obstacles are there, you have to reach D Chowk in any case,” he can be heard telling the party workers.

Meanwhile, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) issued a security alert, warning of a potential terrorist threat during the PTI protest in Islamabad, Express News TV reported.

The Authority warned that a terrorist attack could target PTI’s public gathering, particularly citing a threat from a group of militants who crossed into Pakistan from Afghanistan on the night between November 19 and 20.

The National Motorway and Highways Authority, citing repair work, announced the closure of key routes, including the two main roads connecting Peshawar and Lahore to Islamabad.

Peshawar is the capital of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which is ruled by Khan’s PTI while Lahore is the capital of Punjab province, which has been a traditional bastion of Khan. These are the critical routes often used by protesters heading to the capital, as was also done during the October protest by PTI workers and supporters.

The federal government has summoned paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel to assist police in maintaining order in the capital and to bolster security while in a further security measure, the federal administration evacuated all student hostels in the city on Friday.

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

Despite the heightened security and restrictions, the PTI has remained persistent about proceeding with its protest march and subsequent sit-in to press for its demands.

Authorities in Islamabad have sealed off routes to the Red Zone – which houses the country’s executive, judicial and legislative authorities – and deployed Rangers at key government buildings.

Multiple roads, including Srinagar Highway, GT Road, and routes to Islamabad Airport, were blocked with containers, and heavy security forces, including police and FC, have been stationed around D-Chowk, the proposed venue for gathering of PTI’s marchers.

Additionally, internet and mobile services have been partially suspended in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab as a precaution.

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.

Khan, 72, has been implicated in dozens of cases since his government was dismissed through a no-confidence motion in 2022. He has been in Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since last year facing, according to his party, over 200 cases; got bail in some of them, convicted in some others, and hearings going on for some more.

Khan’s party won the largest number of seats in the February general elections despite contesting as independents as the party was denied an election symbol and the PTI chief has already alleged that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partners, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had “stolen the mandate” to grab power at the federal level.

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