Pakistani police arrest thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of capital rally

Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, chant slogans before starting a rally for Islamabad to demand Khan's release. Credit: AP

Pakistani police have arrested thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of a rally in the capital, Islamabad, demanding the release of the former prime minister from prison, a security officer said.

Khan has been behind bars for more than a year and has over 150 criminal charges levelled against him.

He however remains popular, with his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claiming the cases are politically motivated.

Shahid Nawaz, a security officer in eastern Punjab province, said police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters. They include five parliamentarians.

Police officers detain a supporter of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Credit: AP

Islamabad has been sealed off with shipping containers and major roads and highways have been shut down which connected PTI hubs in Punjab and north-west Khyber Pakhtunhwa provinces to the capital.

Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns.”

The government and Interior Ministry posted the announcement on the social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would be in place.

“Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said.

Highways have been closed with shipping containers ahead of a planned rally by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Credit: AP

Meanwhile, telecom company Nayatel sent out emails offering customers “a reliable landline service” as a workaround in the areas suffering suspended cellphone service.

Khan's supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release and use messaging platforms like WhatsApp to share information, including details of events.

PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was traveling to Islamabad in a convoy led by the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur.

“She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” said Akram.

Police officers detain supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. Credit: AP

The government is imposing social media platform bans and targeting VPN services, according to internet advocacy group Netblocks. On Sunday, the group said live metrics showed problems with WhatsApp that were affecting media sharing on the app.

The US Embassy issued a security alert for Americans in the capital, encouraging them to avoid large gatherings and warning that even “peaceful gatherings can turn violent.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said authorities have sealed off Islamabad's Red Zone, which houses key government buildings and is the destination for Khan's supporters.

“Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” Naqvi told a press conference.

He said the security measures were in place to protect residents and property, blaming the PTI for inconveniencing people and businesses.

He added that protesters were planning to take the same route as the Belarusian delegation, but that the government had headed off this scenario.

Naqvi denied cellphone services were suspended and said only mobile data was affected.

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