Islamabad locked down as PTI prepares for Imran Khan march

Islamabad locked down as PTI prepares for Imran Khan march

Leaders of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have vowed to press ahead with nationwide demonstrations demanding his release, as authorities tightened security in Islamabad ahead of the planned march. More than 1,000 shipping containers, many reinforced with spikes, have been placed to block roads, while sandbags have been positioned on bridges and a key highway leading into the capital has been closed. Public gatherings have also been banned in Islamabad, with 22,000 police and other security personnel deployed across the city. The government has also deployed security personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and closed the main highway linking the provincial capital, Peshawar, with Islamabad. The sweeping security measures have fuelled anger and frustration in the capital, with several businesses struggling to receive supplies. The measures to prevent Khan’s PTI from proceeding with the march come amid mounting concerns over the treatment of the former prime minister, who has been in jail since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases. On Friday, PTI leaders announced that they would postpone the start of the march to October 4, a week after the original September 27 date, saying they hoped the delay would put further pressure on the government. The planned protest also comes amid the detention of three of Imran Khan’s sisters. Aleema Khan was detained last week, followed by Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, who were ordered to remain in custody for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.