Scores of workers and leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are headed to Islamabad for the party’s much-hyped and “decisive” protest to seek the release of party founder Imran Khan, as the government gears up to quash the powershow.
Khan had on November 13 issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on Nov 24 (today), denouncing the “stolen mandate” of his party, unjust arrests of PTI workers and the 26th Constitutional Amendment by the “dictatorial regime”.
With party leadership urging workers and supporters to join the march on the federal capital, thousands gathered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) — where PTI is in power — in the days leading to Nov 24 (Sunday) despite the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declaring the planned protest as unlawful.
The court had also directed authorities to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order, prompting the federal government to seal the capital city and partially suspend mobile and internet services in major parts of the country. Intra-city road networks have also been shut down besides the closure of public transport and student hostels in Islamabad and parts of Punjab.
However, PTI convoys from KP left for Islamabad early Sunday morning. MPAs and MNAs of their respective constituencies are leading their convoys and would join the rallies at Burhan near Hazara interchange, reports said.
Heavy contingents of police and Rangers are present on GT Road and the motorway at Attock’s Hassanabdal to stop the convoys from reaching Islamabad.
In a social media post earlier in the day, Islamabad police shared pictures of its personnel stationed at various points across the capital to “ensure the imposition of Section 144”, which prohibits public gatherings.
PTI, on the other hand, shared pictures and videos of several convoys en route to the capital.
Meanwhile, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) has issued an alert for possible terrorist attacks during PTI’s march towards Islamabad.
According to reports, an alert was issued after “technical and human” intelligence gathered by the top counter-terror authority revealed that terrorists were planning “major activities” in big cities of Pakistan.
The terrorists, whom the government and the military refer to as Fitna-al-Khawarij, will possibly target the PTI’s protest “for their vested interest”, reports said. Nacta has suggested authorities ensure extreme vigilance and heighten security measures to prevent the attack.
Besides taking strict security measures, the government has also vowed to suppress PTI’s powershow with full force, deploying tens of thousands of security personnel, sealing major roads and arteries of the federal capital, and launching a crackdown on leaders and workers of the opposition party.
Sources told The Current that dozens of arrests have been made over the past 48 hours and the government has identified at least another 1,500 PTI workers who could be arrested to keep them from participating in the protest.
All public sector hospitals in the federal capital have also been placed on high alert to meet any emergency situation.
