Pakistani authorities sealed off the capital, Islamabad, and reduce cellphone companies on Friday to stop an anti-government rally by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, officers stated.
The protest is the most recent in a collection of demonstrations that started final month, geared toward securing Khan’s launch and difficult the legitimacy of the ruling coalition, which his social gathering claims got here to energy via a fraudulent election.
Shipping containers have been positioned to dam key entry and exit factors to town, with heavy police and paramilitary presence, officers added. A ban on public gatherings was additionally enforced throughout the capital.
“If someone plans to storm Islamabad, we won’t let that happen,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated throughout a news convention late Thursday.
Naqvi urged Khan’s social gathering to postpone the rally to keep away from disrupting preparations for a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Oct. 15-16, which will likely be attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a high-profile Saudi delegation, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. “We can’t allow any chaos,” Naqvi added.
Any unrest within the capital would ship a damaging message globally forward of the convention, Naqvi stated.
Despite the enchantment, Khan known as on his supporters to collect outdoors parliament.
“I want you all to reach D-Chowk today for a peaceful protest rally,” he posted on X (previously Twitter) on Friday. “This battle has reached a decisive phase.”
Although Khan has been jailed since August 2023, candidates backed by him received essentially the most seats in February’s normal election, although not sufficient to kind a authorities. His opponents, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, shaped a coalition authorities as a substitute.
On Friday, Islamabad police warned they’d take motion towards anybody making an attempt to disrupt peace, reiterating the ban on gatherings.
Schools have been closed, and cellphone companies have been suspended in Islamabad and the close by garrison metropolis of Rawalpindi. A telecom official stated the service shutdown was ordered by the inside ministry. A ministry spokesperson didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Source: www.dailysabah.com