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Pakistani authorities arrested over 4,000 supporters of Imran Khan, including five parliamentarians, ahead of a rally demanding the release of the former prime minister from prison, where he has been held for over a year.
Islamabad was under lockdown, roads were blocked, and mobile data was suspended in certain areas. Clashes between members of Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the police occurred near Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local reports said.
The government claimed the measures were for public safety, while PTI insisted the arrests and restrictions were politically motivated.
On Monday, clashes between PTI workers and police continued, with police reporting stone-pelting that hospitalised 14 officers, while PTI accused police of using tear gas and batons.
Dozens of protesters, including four in Islamabad’s D Chowk, were arrested on Monday. Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi had warned earlier that anyone entering D Chowk would be detained.
On Monday, roads in Islamabad were blocked by containers and a heavy security presence, according to the BBC. However, supporters of the former prime minister, using social media and messaging platforms despite restrictions, remained defiant.
The crackdown coincides with a visit by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.
Mr Khan has been imprisoned for over a year, facing more than 150 criminal cases. Despite this, he remains widely popular, with his political party, PTI, claiming the charges are politically driven.
Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns”.
The announcement was shared by the government and interior ministry on X despite the platform being banned in Pakistan. The statement did not specify which areas were affected or how long the suspension would last.
“Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said Mr Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was on her way to Islamabad in a convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur.
“She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” Mr Akram said.
The US Embassy released a security alert for Americans in Islamabad, advising them to steer clear of large gatherings and cautioning that even “peaceful gatherings can turn violent”.
Interior minister, Mr Naqvi announced that Islamabad’s Red Zone, home to key government buildings and the target for Mr Khan’s supporters, has been sealed off, warning that “anyone reaching it will be arrested”.
He attributed the measures to safeguarding residents and property while accusing PTI of causing disruptions. He clarified that only mobile data, not cellphone services, had been affected.
When Mr Khan was briefly detained in May last year, PTI supporters launched nationwide protests that escalated into attacks on state buildings and military installations. Thousands were arrested and around 100 people faced military trials.
Additional reporting by agencies.
