Pakistan has tightened security in and around Islamabad ahead of a planned September 27 march by supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Reuters cited an Interior Ministry official as saying about 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel had been deployed in the capital and surrounding areas. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.
Road restrictions are also being expanded on routes linking Islamabad with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Dawn reported that sections of the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, the Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and the Grand Trunk Road were being closed, while shipping containers and sandbags had been positioned at key crossings in and around Attock. Additional police contingents have also been requested from other provinces.
PTI has called for a march on Islamabad on September 27, with the release of former prime minister Imran Khan among its central demands. The party says the protest will be peaceful and constitutional. Federal authorities say heightened measures are necessary to maintain public order and protect major roads and government facilities.
Recent days have also seen the detention of Khan’s three sisters and hundreds of party activists, according to Reuters and other reports. Authorities have cited public-order concerns, while PTI has criticised the arrests. Because the march has not yet taken place, security deployments, road closures and access restrictions may still change.