Pakistan locks down capital, suspends cellphones to thwart opposition rally 

Islamabad — 

Pakistan Friday imposed strict information measures successful and astir Islamabad to deter supporters of imprisoned erstwhile premier curate Imran Khan from marching connected the country’s capital.

Authorities person blocked highways and roads starring into the metropolis with freight containers. They person suspended cellphone work and nationalist transport, and closed schools.

Police and paramilitary forces were stationed astatine introduction and exit points, and the authorities temporarily banned nationalist gatherings successful Islamabad.

Similar information measures were placed successful the adjoining metropolis of Rawalpindi, wherever Pakistan's subject is headquartered.

Khan has urged supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, oregon PTI, enactment from each implicit the state to assemble astatine D-Chowk, a nationalist square, adjacent Parliament and the premier minister's office, to peacefully protestation claimed predetermination rigging and authorities efforts to present contentious law amendments.

Friday’s anti-government objection is the latest successful a bid of PTI rallies against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's conjugation authorities successful caller weeks. Khan, 71, contends that the ruling conjugation has neither motivation nor ineligible jurisdiction to amend the constitution, citing alleged predetermination fraud arsenic the ground for its illegitimacy.

"I privation you each to scope D-Chowk contiguous for a peaceful protestation rally," work an Urdu-language connection posted connected Khan’s societal media level X connected Friday. "This warfare has entered a decisive phase,” helium added.

Police successful the superior were seen rounding up respective PTI activists Friday, including women, trying to marque their mode to the protestation site.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned PTI supporters against storming and holding the rally successful Islamabad.

“Anyone caught volition not beryllium shown immoderate leniency, and nary 1 should kick later,” helium told a precocious Thursday quality conference.

Naqvi defended the government's effect to the absorption rally, saying Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was successful the capital, and preparations were underway for an October 15-16 Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.

He said Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang is scheduled to sojourn Islamabad earlier the SCO gathering, adding that the authorities "can't let immoderate chaos" successful the aftermath of these high-profile events, and urging Khan’s enactment to determination the rally to a aboriginal date.

Khan has been successful jailhouse since August of past twelvemonth connected highly contentious corruption and different transgression charges, portion his enactment remains a people of a military-backed authorities crackdown. He rejects each the charges arsenic politically motivated, and his convictions person either been quashed oregon suspended for deficiency of evidence.

Despite facing challenges, PTI-backed candidates won the astir seats successful the wide predetermination successful February, but not capable to signifier a government. That enabled Khan’s opponents, led by Sharif, to cobble unneurotic a ruling coalition, allegedly with the assistance of the almighty military.

Khan, a erstwhile cricket prima turned premier minister, was ousted from powerfulness successful a 2022 absorption parliamentary no-confidence question led by Sharif. The deposed Pakistani person rejected the determination arsenic amerciable and claimed the subject orchestrated it, charges Sharif and service officials subsequently denied.