At least 1,520 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters have been arrested in Islamabad over the last three days since the federal capital police launched a crackdown against former prime minister Imran Khan’s party’s workers.
Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has asked his supporters to march towards Islamabad on November 24 for democracy and judiciary. But Defence Minister Khawaja Asif believes the protest is akin to “insurrection” as the former ruling party allegedly wants to usurp the federal capital.
The PTI founder has set four demands for ending protests while his wife has stated that the date would only change if Khan is out of jail.
Khan’s PTI encountered a significant setback on Thursday when the Islamabad High Court ruled that no protests or rallies violating a recent law on public gatherings would be permitted over the weekend due to the visit of the Belarusian president.
The federal government has called in additional security troops to assist the capital city administration in maintaining order during the protest.
Convoys of PTI marched to the capital city from KP and Punjab in the afternoon despite roadblocks and court orders. But Khan’s party believes it was not heard in the case.
The IHC order was given in view of a ban on public gatherings in the twin cities and the arrival of a Belarusian delegation prior to President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s visit to the country.
Clashes occurred at Faizabad where police reportedly used batons to disperse crowds while D-Chowk remained completely calm, without any tear gas or baton charges reported.
Life in the twin cities has come to a standstill due to the PTI protests, with a heavy presence of police and Rangers in Islamabad. No PTI convoy has successfully entered the city yet, including one that was supposed to arrive from Swabi.
In view of the law and order situation, the federal capital administration has closed all educational institutions in the city. Rawalpindi has also taken a similar decision.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and former first lady Bushra Bibi are leading the central PTI convoy to Islamabad. As protesters began to arrive at Faizabad, they chanted slogans.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is overseeing the security measures, stated that all individuals who arrived at Faizabad have been detained as Rangers perform duty at the Faizabad checkpoint on the Islamabad Highway to manage the situation.
PTI workers clashed with police at Faizabad and threw stones, reports said as they attempted to enter Islamabad. But they remained unsuccessful in their efforts because of the heavy police presence.
Police have stated that no troublemakers would be allowed to take the law into their hands and action would be taken against agitators in accordance with the law.
During the crackdown at Faizabad, police arrested 25 PTI workers, including former National Assembly member Sadaqat Abbasi, along with two other party members.
Moreover, Rawalpindi police used batons against PTI workers on the IJP Road near Faizabad, resulting in the arrest of around 60 activists. Authorities reported that approximately 100 to 150 PTI workers were present on IJP Road, and they were dispersed by the police.
Fresh contingents of Rangers were deployed at the Chungi 26 in Islamabad after the PTI leaders declared its intention to protest and reach the capital “at all costs.” The Peshawar motorway, previously closed due to fog, was reopened before 11am, allowing the initial PTI convoys to set off for Islamabad.
A total of 132 blocking points have been established in Islamabad and routes from other cities to the capital have also been blocked. Connecting roads have also been closed in Lahore.
According to updates in the afternoon, police detained three individuals from D-Chowk. Footages showed the police had placed three layers of shipping containers to halt the PTI from marching to the capital city.
Reports said that containers at the D-Chowk have been covered with “green fabric to obscure their visibility.” Containers have also been set up nearby at Serena Chowk and NADRA Chowk as part of the security measures in place to manage the situation.
In anticipation of PTI protests, security in Islamabad and Rawalpindi was placed on high alert, with 6,000 police personnel and officers deployed. As many as 2,000 backup police forces are on standby.
Police officers have been prohibited from using mobile phones, and internet services have been severely slowed, sources said. Moreover, the Metro bus service has been suspended until further notice.
The main connecting bridge, Faizabad Interchange, is closed to all traffic and various points on the Islamabad Expressway and IGP Road have been blocked. Murree Road has also been closed at multiple points from Faizabad to Saddar.
Surveillance would be conducted at 70 locations connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad using CCTV cameras. Police have also been supplied with tear gas shells and firearms to prepare for any potential unrest.
Police officials reiterated that no protests, demonstrations, or rallies would be permitted, with strict measures in place to deal with anyone disrupting public order. They warned that action would be taken under Section 144 for any violations.
In a combing operation conducted overnight on Saturday, police arrested over 400 PTI supporters in the city.
To prevent PTI activists from entering from Kashmir, the Murree administration has dug a deep trench on the Lahore-Dewal-Srinagar Road, effectively closing the road for all traffic between Lahore Topa and Kohala.
Plans for protests in Lahore and Punjab were altered, with call centres established to coordinate efforts. They decided that convoys arriving from Peshawar and Khyber would gather at the interchange.
While access to the twin cities is largely restricted, some vehicles were allowed to pass through certain points until just before noon on Sunday.
Roadblocks have been set up at 24 locations, including the Taxila and Jhelum highways leading to Islamabad, with the Mangla Bridge also closed. It has severed ground connections between Punjab and KP.
The GT Road at Attock Khurd has been sealed off with containers on both sides and a heavy presence of Rangers, Frontier Corps, and police has been deployed at the Attock Khurd checkpoint.
The M-1 motorway is also closed at three different points in both directions. Meanwhile, PTI leadership and activists from Attock district reached KP.
The PTI alleged that armed individuals set fire to heavy machinery en route from Peshawar to Swabi, abducting the drivers. This machinery was intended for removing containers blocking roads.
All arrangements were made to prevent KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s convoy from entering Punjab, with forces on high alert along the motorway and GT Road.
In light of the PTI protests, all entry and exit routes to Lahore were closed, creating significant difficulties for residents. All connecting roads have been blocked with containers, and motorways leading from Lahore to other cities have also been shut down. Babu Sabu has been barricaded with containers and barriers, accompanied by a heavy police presence.
Roads leading to Shahdara and Batti Chowk have been closed from both sides and containers were also blocking the Azadi Flyover, leaving citizens struggling to navigate the area. Police have been stationed on the Azadi Flyover, equipped with batons.
The motorway from Lahore to Islamabad was closed and all bus terminals located on the blocked road was shut down as well. The Lahore Ring Road is closed at all interchanges, further complicating travel for commuters.
The Ravi Bridge, Old Ravi Bridge, Sagian Ravi Bridge, Eastern Bypass, and Babu Sabu were closed for traffic. But traffic could flow from Thokar Niaz Baig to Multan Road while Raiwind Road, Ferozepur Road, and Gajjumata remained open.
According to the Lahore Traffic Police spokesperson, traffic within the city was operating as usual.
On the other hand, the metro bus service in Lahore was limited for passengers. The Punjab Mass Transit Authority announced that the metro bus service was operating from Gajjumata to MAO College, but it would remain restricted throughout the day.
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Containers were placed along the metro bus route. It runs from Gajjumata to Shahdara.
In Dina, the bridge connecting Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been closed with containers, and a heavy police presence is stationed at all entry and exit points of the city.
In Dera Ghazi Khan, police have launched a crackdown against PTI workers and arrested over 38 individuals, including former Punjab Assembly member Sardar Mohiuddin Khosa.
Sardar Mohiuddin Khosa was taken into custody by police at the Shouriya Bridge while traveling to Islamabad with his elder brother from Kot Chhatta. Police stopped them at a checkpoint and detained him, while additional operations in various locations led to the arrest of more than 38 PTI workers.
