Pakistan bans large gatherings in the capital ahead of a rally by Imran Khan’s party

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani authorities on Tuesday banned gatherings of five or more people in the capital ahead of a planned march by the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been held in prison for more than a year after being convicted in multiple cases.

The two-month ban comes before a rally planned on Sunday in Islamabad by Khan’s party to put pressure on the government to release the imprisoned former leader.

Officials said the ban is aimed at ensuring peace by stopping any unlawful gathering in the current security environment. The government notice made no mention of any specific security threat, but militant violence has been surging in Pakistan.

Last month, authorities suspended mobile phone service and virtually locked down the city to thwart a similar big political rally by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, forcing the opposition to hold the gathering on the outskirts of the city.

Khan’s supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release.

Million of people have been unable to access the X social media platform since February 2023, when the government blocked it ahead of elections, except via VPN — a service that hides online activity from anyone else on the internet.

VPNs are legal in most countries, however they are outlawed or restricted in places where authorities control internet access or carry out online surveillance and censorship.

Pakistani authorities say VPNs are increasingly being exploited by terrorists to facilitate violent activities.. Pakistan’s media regulator has asked people to register their VPNs with it before Nov. 30. Over the weekend, Pakistan’s top body of clerics had declared the use of VPNs against Islamic laws.

Khan has been in prison for more than a year in connection with over 150 criminal cases, but he remains popular and his party and supporters say the cases against him are politically motivated.

Khan was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament, and authorities say they are in talks with Khan’s party to convince it to postpone the rally because of possible militant attacks.