Mobile services ‘likely’ to be suspended today ahead of PTI protest

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is likely to impose a countrywide suspension of mobile services from day evening ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) November 24 protest in Islamabad, interior ministry sources told Geo News on Saturday.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the sources added, has directed authorities to prevent the protesters from entering Islamabad as police vans have been delivered to the federal capital and necessary preparations have been finalised regarding the demonstrators’ arrest and where they are to be kept afterwards

The development comes in the midst of strict security measures being taken by the incumbent government to tackle the former ruling party’s protest.

The Imran Khan-founded party, in recent months, has marched into the federal capital on multiple occasions which has seen its workers clashing with the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Furthermore, tomorrow’s protest comes in the backdrop of the Belarusian president’s upcoming visit from November 25 to 27.

With the government imposing Section 144 in the federal capital for two months, the administration has also sought additional 8,000 police personnel along with the deployment of Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC).

The development regarding mobile services’ suspension comes after sources told Geo News on Thursday that the government had decided to “partially” suspend in Islamabad and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Strict measures are also to be taken in the context of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders wherein the court has directed the authorities concerned not to allow the PTI to hold its protest in the federal capital in violation of the newly enacted peaceful assembly law.

Deciding on a petition filed by the trade association’s president, IHC Chief Justice Justice Aamer Farooq in his five-page verdict ordered the authorities to constitute a committee to engage with the PTI leadership.

Noting that the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and movement enjoyed by Pakistani citizens were subjected to proportional and reasonable restrictions, the IHC judge directed authorities to allocate a designated place to the PTI for organising its demonstration.

Apart from the Islamabad administration, the Punjab government too has imposed Section 144 across the province for three days from November 23 to November 25 and has put over 10,700 police personnel on standby.

The PTI’s decision to go ahead with its protest comes after its talks, as per The News, with the government reached a stalemate following the latter’s refusal to agree with Khan’s demand of his release by Friday (yesterday).

Roads blocked

Meanwhile, all sections of motorways and the GT Road at key points have been closed in Punjab, the publication reported on Saturday.

All key sections of GT Road including Muridke to Jhelum and Chenab River Bridge in Gujrat, have completely been blocked by placing containers on both sides.

Barriers have also been set up at critical points such as Sadhoke Check-post, Nandipur Check-post, Jhelum, Kamoke, Shahdara, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Hafizabad, and Sheikhupura, causing massive traffic jams, and leaving commuters stranded for hours.

Heavy police deployments, especially around the Chenab River bridges, exhibit seriousness of the situation.

“Motorway closed for 2 days at 6 different locations due to repair work [….] Motorway M1 from Islamabad to Peshawar, Motorway M2 from Lahore to Islamabad will be closed, Motorway M3 from Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, Motorway M4 from Pindi Bhatian to Multan will be closed. The Lahore-Sialkot Motorway M-11 was also closed for all types of traffic, the Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway M-14 was closed from Hakla to York,” read a notification.