Pakistani police have arrested thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of a planned rally in the capital, Islamabad, demanding his release from prison. Khan has been incarcerated for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal charges, although his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains that the cases are politically motivated.
Shahid Nawaz, a security officer from Punjab province, confirmed that over 4,000 Khan supporters have been arrested, including five members of parliament. In response to the rally, the Pakistani government has sealed off Islamabad using shipping containers and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city to PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Clashes, including tit-for-tat teargas shelling, were reported along the highway at the border between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Earlier, authorities suspended mobile and internet services in areas deemed security risks. The government, along with the interior ministry, announced the shutdown on X, which is banned in Pakistan, without specifying the affected areas. “Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the announcement stated.
The government has also been targeting social media platforms and VPN services, according to internet advocacy group Netblocks. On Sunday, the group reported disruptions in WhatsApp services, which impacted media sharing, a vital tool for Khan’s supporters to rally and spread information about his release.
PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram stated that Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was traveling to Islamabad in a convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. “She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” Akram said, as the convoy set off from Peshawar, where a festive atmosphere prevailed. PTI members danced, drummed, and held up pictures of Khan as they made their way to Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif cautioned that the situation could escalate, drawing comparisons to the mass student protests in Bangladesh that led to the downfall of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August.
The US embassy issued a security alert for American citizens in Islamabad, advising them to avoid large gatherings and warning that even peaceful protests could turn violent.
Last month, the Pakistani government suspended cellphone services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to disrupt a pro-Khan rally. This led to widespread communication blackouts, impacting essential services such as banking, ride-hailing, and food delivery.
The latest security crackdown comes just ahead of a visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that Islamabad’s Red Zone, home to key government buildings and the destination of Khan’s supporters, has been sealed off. “Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” Naqvi warned. He also denied that cellphone services had been fully suspended, clarifying that only mobile data services were affected.
