Mobile services suspension ‘likely’ today ahead of PTI protest

ISLAMABAD: The federal government will impose a nationwide suspension of mobile services from evening ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest in Islamabad on November 24, home ministry sources said. Geographic News on Saturday.

Sources stated that Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi has instructed the authorities to prevent the protesters from entering Islamabad as police vans have been delivered to the federal capital and necessary preparations have been completed regarding the arrest of the protesters and where they will be kept thereafter.

The development comes amid tight security measures taken by the incumbent government to thwart the protest by the former ruling party.

The party founded by Imran Khan has marched to the federal capital many times in recent months and its workers have been seen clashing with law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Moreover, tomorrow’s protest falls in the background of the visit of the Belarusian president from 25 to 27 November.

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

The development regarding the suspension of mobile services came after the sources announced Geographic News On Thursday, the government had decided to “partially” suspend activities in Islamabad and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Strict action will also be taken in the context of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders in which the court directed the authorities concerned not to allow PTI to protest in the federal capital in violation of the newly enacted law on peaceful assembly.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, ruling on a petition filed by the trade association president, in his five-page judgment, ordered officials to constitute a committee to interact with the PTI leadership.

Noting that the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly and movement enjoyed by Pakistani citizens are subject to proportionate and reasonable restrictions, the IHC judge directed the authorities to allocate a designated place to PTI to organize the demonstration.

Along with the Islamabad administration, the Punjab government also imposed Article 144 across the state for three days from November 23 to November 25, putting more than 10,700 police personnel on standby.

PTI’s decision to continue the protest came after talks. NewsThe government has reached an impasse after it refused to accept Khan’s demand for release by Friday.

Roads are closed

Meanwhile, according to the news published on Saturday, all sections of highways and GT Road at key locations were closed in Punjab.

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

Barriers are also installed at critical points such as Sadhoke Check Point, Nandipur Check Point, Jhelum, Kamoke, Shahdara, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Hafizabad and Sheikhupura, causing heavy traffic congestion and passengers are stranded on the road for hours.

The heavy police deployment, especially around the Chenab River bridges, reveals the seriousness of the situation.

“The highway was closed for 2 days at 6 different points due to repair works (….) M1 Motorway from Islamabad to Peshawar, M2 Motorway from Lahore to Islamabad, M3 Motorway from Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, M3 Motorway from Pindi Bhatian M4 Highway will be closed. Lahore-Sialkot Highway M-11, leading to Multan, and Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Highway, M-14, will be closed to all traffic. “Closed from Hakla to York,” read the warning.