Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. (AFP Photo)
By Newsroom
Nov 24, 2024 10:33 AM
Pakistan‘s capital, Islamabad, and surrounding regions were placed on lockdown on Sunday as authorities blocked major roads and suspended internet services to counter a protest by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wave flags and show placards as they protest outside US President-elect Donald Trump residence Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, on November 23, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Supporters of former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan outside of President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on November 23, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. (AFP Photo)
Key entry points blocked across cities
Containers were placed at entry and exit points of Islamabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi and other cities. Security was heightened at the borders of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, governed by Khan’s PTI party, in a bid to deter protesters from reaching the capital.
The PTI has called for a “final march” to stage a sit-in near the parliament until Khan is released from jail. Over 500 PTI activists have reportedly been arrested across the country, primarily in Punjab province.
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Security measures and government response
Thousands of police and paramilitary troops have been deployed in Islamabad and adjoining areas. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqavi stated that preparations had been finalized to prevent the protest, calling it an “unlawful” march.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur insisted that PTI supporters would reach the designated protest site near parliament, vowing they would not leave until Khan’s release.
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a blocked road leading towards the Red Zone area ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. – Authorities blocked roads in Islamabad with shipping containers and beefed up security after jailed opposition leader Imran Khan’s party called for fresh protests to demand his release. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a blocked road leading towards the Red Zone area ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. – Authorities blocked roads in Islamabad with shipping containers and beefed up security after jailed opposition leader Imran Khan’s party called for fresh protests to demand his release. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a blocked road leading towards the Red Zone area ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. – Authorities blocked roads in Islamabad with shipping containers and beefed up security after jailed opposition leader Imran Khan’s party called for fresh protests to demand his release. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. – Authorities blocked roads in Islamabad with shipping containers and beefed up security after jailed opposition leader Imran Khan’s party called for fresh protests to demand his release. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
Court orders and high-level visit
The Islamabad High Court directed the government to ensure law and order during the protest, citing concerns raised by local traders.
The court also noted the arrival of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Islamabad over the weekend.
The 72-year-old former cricket star, detained in Rawalpindi since August 2023, faces a series of cases, including charges of corruption and terrorism. Khan maintains that the charges are politically motivated.
Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. (AFP Photo)
