Police arrest 412 PTI activists, including 60 Afghans, ahead of Islamabad protest
PTI supporters as they gather during a protest, outside the provincial election commission office in Karachi, February 17, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS
Islamabad Police have arrested 412 individuals, including 60 Afghan nationals, ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) planned protest at D-Chowk on Friday. The arrests are part of a broader crackdown on PTI workers preparing for the demonstration.
According to Express News, the detainees were found in possession of spiked batons, slingshots, and marbles. The arrests were made in the areas of Bara Kahu, Tarnol, and Sangjani. Following the arrests, security in the capital was heightened, with Rangers deployed to secure the Red Zone.
The crackdown comes as PTI, under the direction of its founder Imran Khan, called for a protest at D-Chowk on October 4. In response, the authorities implemented strict security measures to prevent demonstrators from reaching the protest site.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had warned PTI leaders to reconsider the protest, citing the presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Islamabad. "If anyone attempts to storm D-Chowk, they will be dealt with firmly," the minister said, further cautioning that no leniency would be shown to those who breach security.
Islamabad’s administration has also mobilised 4,000 police officers to manage the protest and prevent protesters from reaching D-Chowk. Security arrangements include the deployment of Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel in the Red Zone. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have been placed on high alert in Rawalpindi, where over 150 PTI activists have already been arrested.
Security barriers, including containers, will be positioned at key entry points from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, including locations like Rawat T-Chowk, Khanna Pul, Faizabad Interchange, and Peshawar Road. This security operation is set to begin on Thursday night.
Commenting on PTI’s protest plans, Rawalpindi’s City Police Officer, Khalid Hamdani, assured that over 4,000 officers would be deployed to ensure law and order. "We will take legal action against those who disrupt peace or damage public property," Hamdani said, adding that CCTV surveillance will be used to identify troublemakers.
On the other hand, Barrister Saif, an advisor to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, reiterated PTI’s resolve to proceed with the protest, stating that “thousands” of workers led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur would arrive at D-Chowk. Saif accused the government of panicking, saying, "Despite all the obstacles, we will reach D-Chowk."
Earlier, Gandapur urged supporters to prepare for the protest, calling for a "battle for true freedom" and urging participants to "break the chains of fear." He also warned vehicle owners not to bring private cars to the protest, alleging that the government had started seizing vehicles.