Imran Khan supporters refuse to leave the field, tension in Pakistan
Pakistani police arrested thousands of Imran Khan supporters as the capital remained under lockdown ahead of a rally there to demand the ex-premier’s release from prison, a security officer said Sunday.
Shahid Nawaz, a security official in Punjab province, reported that over 4,000 supporters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, including five parliamentarians, have been arrested. PTI has labeled the more than 150 criminal cases against Khan as politically motivated, maintaining that he remains highly popular despite his incarceration.
Since Saturday, Islamabad has been sealed off with shipping containers, while major roads and highways connecting the capital to PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces have been blocked. Clashes involving teargas exchanges between police and PTI activists were reported near the Punjab-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa border.
In a further move to suppress unrest, mobile and internet services were suspended in areas deemed security risks. The Interior Ministry announced the measures on X (formerly Twitter), which is currently banned in Pakistan. However, no details were provided regarding the duration or specific locations of the blackout.
The mounting tension underscores the volatile political climate in Pakistan as Khan's supporters continue to demand justice, challenging government efforts to suppress dissent.
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