Pakistan's authorities have implemented extensive security measures in Islamabad to prevent a planned march by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The march, scheduled for September 27, aims to demand Khan's release from prison. In preparation, major highways connecting Islamabad to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and other regions have been closed indefinitely, and approximately 2,000 shipping containers have been strategically placed to barricade the capital, including its government district and foreign embassies. Nearly 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in and around Islamabad, with an estimated 30,000 security personnel focused on the Attock district, a key crossing point. Authorities have also imposed Section 144, prohibiting gatherings of five or more people and demonstrations, citing public order concerns.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar have warned the PTI against proceeding with the protest, emphasizing that such demonstrations are not permitted and that the government will not allow any "violent groups" to reach the capital. Tarar referenced an Islamabad High Court ruling that prohibits the disruption of public movement and road closures. Hospitals in Islamabad have been instructed to prepare for potential "mass casualty events" by ensuring additional beds and surgical readiness, highlighting the authorities' anticipation of unrest.
The government has also raised serious concerns about the economic impact of the planned protests. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb warned that strikes, sit-ins, and road closures could inflict an estimated loss of $120 billion on the economy daily. This includes a projected loss of around $86 billion in the services sector, $25 billion in the industrial sector, and $9 billion in agriculture. An additional revenue loss of about $17 billion daily is also expected. Aurangzeb stressed that such disruptions would undermine positive economic indicators and export-led growth plans, potentially affecting IT exports, which averaged around $13 million a day in July and August, by as much as 80%.
The show of force by the government underscores the deep divisions between Khan's PTI party and the military-backed government in Pakistan, a nation of 240 million people. Ahead of the march, authorities detained three of Khan's sisters and hundreds of party activists, citing the need to maintain public order. Despite the blockades and warnings, PTI party chairman Gohar Khan has stated that the march will proceed as planned, setting the stage for potential confrontations between protesters and security forces.
