Islamabad: Pakistani police authorities began closing main entry points in the capital Islamabad on Saturday, a day before jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party proposed protests. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has made a “final appeal” to the protests, urging his supporters to march to Islamabad to demand the release of all PTI prisoners, including Imran Khan.
What did Imran say?
Imran Khan asked his supporters to recognize his alleged victory in the February 8 elections and demanded the abolition of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The 26th Amendment to the Constitution changed the appointment process for judges and the Chief Justice.
Referenced repair work
The National Highways and Highways Administration announced closures of the M-1 and M-2 motorways and other major routes due to maintenance work. The M-1 and M-2 connect Peshawar and Lahore to Islamabad and are important routes for protesters heading to the capital.
islamabad security
Strong security arrangements
To strengthen security arrangements, the federal government of Pakistan has mobilized paramilitary Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel to assist the police in maintaining order in the capital. The government took extra security measures and evacuated all hotels in the city on Friday. The Punjab government also imposed Section 144 across the province from November 23 to 25, banning protests, public meetings, rallies and gatherings. Similarly, Article 144 came into effect in Islamabad from November 18. (language)
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