Pakistani authorities sealed off the capital, Islamabad, and cut cellphone services on Friday to prevent an anti-government rally by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, officials said.
The protest is the latest in a series of demonstrations that began last month, aimed at securing Khan's release and challenging the legitimacy of the ruling coalition, which his party claims came to power through a fraudulent election.
Shipping containers were placed to block key entry and exit points to the city, with heavy police and paramilitary presence, officials added. A ban on public gatherings was also enforced across the capital.
"If someone plans to storm Islamabad, we won’t let that happen," Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said during a news conference late Thursday.
Naqvi urged Khan's party to postpone the rally to avoid disrupting preparations for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Oct. 15-16, which will be attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, a high-profile Saudi delegation, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. "We can’t allow any chaos," Naqvi added.
Any unrest in the capital would send a negative message globally ahead of the conference, Naqvi said.
Despite the appeal, Khan called on his supporters to gather outside parliament.
"I want you all to reach D-Chowk today for a peaceful protest rally," he posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday. "This battle has reached a decisive phase."
Although Khan has been jailed since August 2023, candidates backed by him won the most seats in February's general election, though not enough to form a government. His opponents, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, formed a coalition government instead.
On Friday, Islamabad police warned they would take action against anyone attempting to disrupt peace, reiterating the ban on gatherings.
Schools were closed, and cellphone services were suspended in Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi. A telecom official said the service shutdown was ordered by the interior ministry. A ministry spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.