Highways sealed with containers, activists detained as authorities move to block supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan from reaching the capital.
Pakistani authorities have deployed nearly 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel in and around Islamabad and closed major highways leading into the capital, intensifying security measures ahead of a planned march by supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on September 27.
An Interior Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the extra forces had been stationed in the federal capital and surrounding areas, with further deployments elsewhere in the country where protesters might gather. Shipping containers have been placed to barricade key routes and the high-security Red Zone, home to parliament, the prime minister’s residence and foreign embassies. Two major highways linking Islamabad to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-the northwestern province governed by PTI-have been closed until further notice, according to the National Highways Authority.
The measures form the starkest security response in years to a PTI mobilisation and underscore the deep political polarisation between the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the military-backed government.
Islamabad Prepares for PTI Protest:
In the days leading up to the planned protest, police detained three of Khan’s sisters and hundreds of PTI activists, citing the need to maintain public order. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned that security forces have been instructed to respond “forcefully” if the march turns violent, stating that the government will not allow the capital to be shut down.
PTI leaders have insisted the march will go ahead. Party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi have said supporters will “forcefully exercise” their right to peaceful protest to demand Khan’s release and what they describe as the supremacy of the constitution. The party has claimed that more than a thousand workers have already been detained in the crackdown.
Khan, 73, a former cricket star who was ousted as prime minister in a 2022 no-confidence vote, has been imprisoned since 2023. He and his supporters maintain he is a political prisoner. The government and courts have rejected those claims, pointing to multiple criminal convictions.
Islamabad Police have sought thousands of additional personnel and anti-riot equipment from Punjab and Sindh. Reports indicate requests for around 16,000 officers from Punjab and 2,000 from Sindh, along with senior officers to reinforce command structures. The Punjab government has also sought the deployment of Rangers and, in some sensitive districts, army assistance under constitutional provisions to help maintain order.
Hospitals in the capital, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and the Federal Government Polyclinic, have been placed on high alert until the end of the month in preparation for possible casualties. Schools in some areas have been temporarily closed or converted into temporary barracks for incoming security personnel.
Security Tightens Ahead of PTI March:
Authorities expect between 20,000 and 25,000 protesters to attempt to reach the capital, though PTI has claimed far larger numbers could mobilise. Security planners have focused particular attention on the Attock district, a key land route from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into Punjab and Islamabad, where tens of thousands of personnel are being positioned.
The last major PTI protest two years ago ended in deadly clashes with security forces. Previous attempts by the party to stage large demonstrations in the capital have frequently led to confrontations, road blockades and accusations of excessive force on both sides.
The current standoff comes amid broader political and economic pressures in Pakistan. Other groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami and farmers’ organisations, have also announced protests in or near the capital around the same period, adding to the authorities’ concerns about multiple simultaneous mobilisations.
As containers continue to line major avenues and additional forces take up positions, the government has framed the deployments as necessary to protect public order and state institutions. PTI, for its part, has portrayed the measures as an attempt to suppress legitimate political expression and prevent supporters from demanding the release of their leader.
With the September 27 date approaching, the coming days will test whether the heavy security presence succeeds in preventing a large-scale convergence on Islamabad or whether determined PTI supporters find ways to press their demand despite the lockdown.