Pakistan has tightened security ahead of a September 27 PTI march to Islamabad demanding Imran Khan's release.
Authorities have deployed thousands of security personnel and placed shipping containers at key routes leading towards the capital.
Section 144 is in force in Islamabad, while Punjab has sought Rangers deployment in four districts ahead of the planned protest.
Imran Khan Protest: Pakistan Deploys Thousands Of Security Forces Ahead Of March
Pakistan has stepped up security across Islamabad and key routes ahead of a September 27 PTI march demanding the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan
Summary
Pakistan has tightened security in and around Islamabad ahead of a planned September 27 march by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, with thousands of security personnel deployed and major routes blocked with shipping containers.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a long march to the capital to press for his release. Authorities have stepped up security preparations as supporters are expected to travel to Islamabad from several parts of the country, Reuters reported.
What Security Measures Has Pakistan Taken?
Authorities have placed about 2,000 shipping containers around Islamabad and at Attock Bridge, a key crossing connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab, according to Dawn. Containers and sandbags have also been placed at Haroon Bridge, another major crossing between the two provinces.
More than 30,000 security personnel are being deployed in Attock district as part of the preparations, Dawn reported. The district is considered strategically important because it connects Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab and provides major road links towards the Islamabad-Rawalpindi region.
Reuters reported that Pakistan has also restricted access to Islamabad by blocking major highways with shipping containers and deploying tens of thousands of security personnel. Authorities have detained hundreds of PTI activists in recent days, according to Reuters.
Why Are Imran Khan Supporters Protesting?
PTI has announced a long march to Islamabad for September 27, with the party seeking the release of Imran Khan, who has been in prison since 2023 in connection with multiple cases.
Khan's supporters have continued to demand his release and have planned demonstrations in the capital despite the government's security measures.
The Islamabad administration has also imposed Section 144, prohibiting public gatherings, processions and demonstrations in the capital for two months, according to local reporting.
Pakistan's authorities have warned against gatherings that violate the restrictions, while the government's security preparations have raised concerns about possible disruption as protesters attempt to reach Islamabad.
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The Punjab government has separately requested the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali from September 22 to October 5 to assist the provincial police with maintaining law and order during the expected protests.
Khan, 73, a former cricket star who was ousted by Parliament in a 2022 no-confidence vote, has described himself as a political prisoner.
Before his arrest in 2023, he had fallen out with Pakistan's military, which is widely seen as the country's most powerful political institution. The military has denied Khan's claim that he is a political prisoner.
On Monday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that police had been instructed to respond forcefully if the march turned violent. “It is not like that they come and they fire shots and you do nothing,” he said, as quoted by Reuters.
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