In anticipation of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad, authorities have sealed all entry and exit points to Rawalpindi and Islamabad, effectively locking down the twin cities.
PTI plans to conduct a nationwide protest today following a call from its founder, Imran Khan. Authorities have placed containers on critical routes, including the Faizabad Flyover, and deployed a substantial police force to maintain order.
Key thoroughfares such as Murree Road, the Motorway, and routes through Rawat, T-Chowk, Taxila, Margalla, and Mandrah are blocked. Major highways like the Murree Expressway and Hazara Expressway and connecting roads from Punjab are also inaccessible.
In Rawalpindi alone, over 6,000 police officers have been mobilized, with security visibly intensified. Police raids overnight led to the detention of more than 170 PTI activists from various locations. Buses for prisoner transport have been brought into the city to handle the arrests.
Hospitals have activated emergency protocols, rescue agencies are on high alert, and mobile internet services in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and Attock have been suspended to curb the dissemination of protest-related information.
In a related development, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi contacted PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, following directives from the Islamabad High Court. Minister Naqvi reiterated the court’s order, stating, “The Islamabad High Court’s order binds us. No processions, sit-ins, or rallies can be permitted under the current circumstances.”
The minister also informed Barrister Gohar about the upcoming visit of an 80-member delegation from Belarus, including the Belarusian President, scheduled to be in Islamabad from November 24 to November 27, with the president arriving on November 25.
