Pakistani authorities have detained thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan as the capital remains under lockdown before a planned rally demanding his release, a security official confirmed on Sunday.
Khan, who has been imprisoned for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal charges, is still widely supported. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claims the charges are politically driven.
Shahid Nawaz, a security official in Punjab, reported the arrest of over 4,000 Khan supporters, including five members of parliament.
Since Saturday, Islamabad has been barricaded with shipping containers, and major routes from PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been blocked.
Clashes involving tear gas between police and PTI supporters occurred along the Punjab-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border.
On Sunday, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services in security-sensitive areas. The government and Interior Ministry announced this on X, a social media platform banned in Pakistan, without specifying the affected areas or the duration of the suspension.
“Internet and mobile services will continue as usual in the rest of the country,” the announcement stated.
Telecom company Nayatel offered customers a “reliable landline service” in areas with suspended mobile services.
Khan’s supporters use social media extensively to call for his release and share information via platforms like WhatsApp.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram mentioned that Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was en route to Islamabad in a convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur.
“She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” said Akram.
In Peshawar, a festive atmosphere prevailed with PTI members dancing, drumming, and displaying pictures of Khan as they set off for Islamabad.
The government is reportedly blocking social media platforms and targeting VPN services, according to internet advocacy group NetBlocks. The group noted on Sunday that issues with WhatsApp were affecting media sharing.
The US Embassy issued a security alert for Americans in Islamabad, advising them to avoid large gatherings and warning that even peaceful demonstrations can become violent.
Last month, authorities suspended cellphone services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to disrupt a pro-Khan rally, affecting communications and services such as banking, ride-hailing, and food delivery.
The latest crackdown comes just before a visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that Islamabad’s Red Zone, which contains key government buildings and is the destination for Khan’s supporters, has been sealed off. Naqvi declared at a press conference that anyone entering the Red Zone will be arrested.
He defended the security measures as necessary for protecting residents and property, accusing the PTI of causing public inconvenience.
Naqvi also mentioned that protesters intended to take the same route as the Belarusian delegation, but the government had prevented this.
He denied that cellphone services were suspended, clarifying that only mobile data was affected.
Frances Ibiefo
Follow us on:
