Islamabad under lockdown as Imran Khan’s PTI supporters set to continue protest march

Islamabad: Pakistan’s capital has been placed under heavy security to prevent supporters of jailed former Prime Minister and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’ (PTI), Imran Khan, from marching towards Islamabad as they are set to continue to protest throughout the country to seek his release.

Imran Khan issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on Sunday amid statements and warnings by his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) leaders. He claimed that they would be leading rallies from all parts of the country and marching towards the capital, Islamabad, with an aim to not leave until the former Chief Minister is released from jail.

The PTI supporters further said they must also be handed over the claimed mandate in the recent general elections, which seems to have been blocked and handled by the federal and provincial governments in Islamabad and Punjab, respectively.

It leaves no space for any PTI workers to assemble in Islamabad or anywhere in Punjab, and confine the protest to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) only, where the party is in power.

What seemed to be a day’s drill of rallies from all parts of the country towards Islamabad, now seems to be extending its time to the next day (November 25) as the PTI rally from KP’s provincial capital Peshawar has not been able to reach the capital Islamabad and is expected to camp itself in Swabi for Sunday night and regroup to march on Monday morning.

PTI claims that the government has resorted to arrests of its lawmakers and leaders to stop them from leading the rallies towards Islamabad.

PTI also claimed that security forces may use baton charges and tear gas to disperse their supporters from rallying in the capital Islamabad and parts of Punjab province.

“Convoy of National Assembly Opposition leader Omar Ayub was targeted near Taxila and shells were fired at him,” said a post by PTI’s official ‘X’ account.

Another post by PTI leader Sher Afzal Marwat maintained that a convoy of his brother was stopped at Daud Khel and was fired at with tear gas shelling. However, Sher Afzal asserted “we will reach D-chowk in any circumstance”.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned PTI leaders and protestors that anyone entering the protected areas will be arrested.

“One option is that we let them come and paralyse Islamabad. The other option is to protect Islamabad. The area PTI has called the protest is a protected area of Islamabad, monitored by the IG (Inspector General) and DIG (Deputy Inspector General) of Police. Any protestor who enters that area will be arrested,” he said while speaking to the media at D-Chowk in Islamabad, the announced destination of the PTI long march.

Interior Minister Naqvi said that at least 33 out of 100 individuals arrested in the previous protest by PTI were Afghan nationals, while several other foreign nationals were detailed in the past two days, raising questions about the intentions of the PTI protest.

“Are Pakistani citizens involved in your (PTI) protest, or is this a movement led by foreigners?” he asked.

“PTI protests bring harm to the country and create considerable hardship for citizens,” he added.

PTI’s “Final Call” protest has not received a clearance from the government or the court.

The Islamabad High Court has already said that PTI did not seek permission to protest in Islamabad and does not hold an NOC (No Objection Certificate), which would deem its protest rally towards Islamabad illegal.

On the other hand, the government also maintains that it would now allow anyone to enter the capital and create unrest and chaos, warning PTI supporters to refrain from confronting and engaging in clashes with the security forces.

On the ground, the government in the federal capital and the Punjab province seems to be ready, geared up, and vigilant in doing everything to stop the PTI protest.

The government has already blocked all motorways leading to Islamabad, mobile services have been suspended, over 37 entry points into Islamabad have been blocked, Section 144 has been imposed, allowing police officials to now allow any gathering in the capital or in Punjab province, and a heavy deployment is in place to stop the protestors from entering into the capital’s territory.

PTI’s supporters were nowhere to be seen in Punjab or Islamabad throughout Sunday.

However, thousands of party supporters gathered in Peshawar, the provincial capital of PTI-controlled KP province, who are marching towards the capital Islamabad.

The KP rally is led by its Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.

KP Chief Minister Gandapur has said that the PTI rally would reach D-Chowk in Islamabad by all means and at all costs, adding “we will not leave Islamabad until Imran Khan is released, PTI supporters arrested unjustly are released, our stolen mandate is returned to us and 26th Amendment, which has strengthened a dictatorial regime is nullified”.

As the PTI rally from KP continues to march towards Islamabad at a slow pace, extending its plan to enter into the capital till Monday; Islamabad authorities have announced the closure of all educational institutions (both public and private) on Monday.

Experts observe that PTI’s leadership from Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan has failed miserably in translating its tall claims, warnings, and threats to the government into action.

“PTI leadership failed to come out in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan. They even failed to get people out. And now the nationwide protest has turned into a KP-centric agitation. It’s yet another failure on the part of PTI, its leadership, and its supporters. And this is exactly what irritates Imran Khan in jail, who has had a tough time handling his team to assert pressure on the government and the establishment through strong public power shows,” said political analyst Umar Bacha.

IANS