Thousands of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s supporters have been taken into custody by the police as Islamabad remains on lockdown ahead of a rally demanding his release and the resignation of the current government.
Shahid Nawaz, the security officer in Punjab, said more than 4,000 supporters of Khan, including five parliamentarians, have been arrested. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said more would be arrested if any supporters try to breach the sealed-off Red Zone of the capital, which shields key government buildings. “Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” he said, adding that the security measures are meant to protect residents and property.
The long march of hundreds of Khan’s supporters toward Islamabad started on Monday and reached the capital’s outskirts. In social media footage, Khan’s allies were shown rallying the crowd and asking them to move forward as convoys of vehicles also made their way to the city.
In Peshawar, the mood was jubilant as PTI workers danced and drummed while waving pictures of Khan. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and close aide Ali Amin Gandapur, who is chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, led the rally just outside Islamabad.
Khan has spent more than a year in prison and faces over 150 cases against him, all of which his party calls political. Legal battles notwithstanding, Khan continues to be one of the most popular leaders, and his party, PTI, has been out on every front, trying to push for his release.
Since Saturday, the police have enforced tight security, sealing off Islamabad with shipping containers and shutting down major roads to block Khan’s supporters from entering the city. This rally is one of a series of demonstrations that Khan has staged to seek bail. Other rallies, earlier this month, ended in violence.
In a bid affecting communication, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services in areas considered a security threat. Naqvi, however, made a clarification that while the mobile data may be affected, the service of the mobile phone continues. Meanwhile, Nayatel has promised a reliable alternative landline service to its customers.
Indeed, Khan’s followers rely heavily on social media to coordinate and disseminate information via platforms such as WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the government allegedly has been implementing bans on social media and targeting virtual private networks, according to internet advocacy group Netblocks.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad released a security alert that advised American citizens to avoid gatherings and warned even peaceful demonstrations have the potential to turn violent.
In 2022, Imran Khan was ousted from power through parliament because of his fallout with Pakistan’s influential military that is a significant factor in its politics; the leadership largely comes from them in this South Asian nation of 241 million.
