Islamabad: On Saturday, Pakistan’s capital city was placed under lockdown as security forces filled the streets and mobile internet services were suspended. This measure was taken in response to supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan attempting to hold mass protests.
Imran Khan was barred from participating in the February elections, which faced allegations of rigging, and has been sidelined by numerous legal cases. Despite a government crackdown, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has continued to challenge authorities with regular demonstrations.
Starting on Friday, PTI activists began traveling to Islamabad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Khan’s stronghold in the northwest. They encountered obstacles such as shipping container roadblocks and were dispersed with tear gas.
On Saturday, small and scattered convoys continued to press toward Islamabad, defying government orders. The government had approved the deployment of troops in the city, citing the need to ensure security ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled to begin on October 15.
“I am so proud of all our people,” Khan said in a message posted on the social media platform X on Saturday afternoon. “You showed unfaltering resilience and courage as you came out yesterday and overcame unbelievable obstacles.”
Protests were also planned in Lahore on Saturday, but the main highway connecting the eastern city to the capital was blocked.
Amnesty International criticized the government’s actions, stating that the communication shutdowns and road blockades infringe on people’s rights to freedom of expression, access to information, peaceful assembly, and movement. “These restrictions are part of a worrying clampdown on the right to protest in Pakistan,” the organization said.
Access to the social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter—has been blocked across Pakistan since after the election. Mobile internet services were also suspended on election day, and the PTI alleges that widespread vote tampering occurred.
Imran Khan, 72, served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 until 2022 when he was removed from office through a parliamentary no-confidence vote after a fallout with the powerful military establishment, considered the country’s political kingmakers.
As an opposition leader, Khan led an unprecedented campaign of defiance but became entangled in numerous legal cases that he claims are designed to prevent his return to power.
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