Tight security, internet shutdown in Islamabad ahead of protest by ex-PM Khan’s party

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Updated 24 November 2024
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Tight security, internet shutdown in Islamabad ahead of protest by ex-PM Khan’s party

  • Thousands of Khan supporters demanding his release from prison, judicial independence expected to reach Islamabad today
  • All major roads and highways leading to Islamabad have been sealed with heavy deployment of law enforcement personnel

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the government has been compelled to take protective measures in the capital today, Sunday, as authorities place Islamabad under a security lockdown with thousands of Imran Khan supporters expected to reach here for an anti-government protest. 
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is leading a “long march” to the capital as it seeks his release from prison. The jailed former prime minister has been in prison for well over a year on charges he says are politically motivated. The PTI is also protesting against alleged rigging in the February general elections, and seeks to highlight its concerns about judicial independence, which it claims has been undermined by the 26th Constitutional Amendment, a charge denied by the government.




Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in Islamabad on November 24, 2024. (AFP)

Security in the capital has been beefed up with paramilitary forces deployed at various parts of the city, equipped with riot gear, to quell any unrest by protesters. Pakistan’s interior ministry announced late Saturday night that mobile data and Internet service have been shut down in sensitive areas. 
All major roads leading to Islamabad from the capital’s surrounding areas have been sealed off with shipping containers ahead of the protest. Pakistani authorities have also closed motorways at various locations to prevent Khan supporters from arriving in Islamabad. 
“I am hopeful that this drama by the PTI will come to an end tonight and that the situation will return to normalcy,” Iqbal told reporters during a news conference in Lahore. He blamed the PTI for attempting to disrupt Pakistan’s economic recovery by creating chaos.




Paramilitary soldiers patrol as they station at a overhead bridge ahead of a planned rally by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad November 24, 2024. (AP)

“The government is compelled to take protective measures to safeguard the lives and properties of community members as it is the government’s responsibility to maintain law and order in Pakistan,” he said. 
Iqbal apologized to the masses for causing them inconveniences due to the security measures. 
“I also appeal to the public to understand that these measures are essential to protect everyone from the disruptive actions of the PTI,” he said. 
PTI SUPPORTERS LEAVE FOR ISLAMABAD 
Despite the government’s warnings, senior PTI leader Raoof Hasan vowed Khan’s supporters would reach Islamabad at any cost. 
“Our protesters are trying to reach Islamabad but you can see that the whole Islamabad is under lockdown,” Hasan told Arab News.
Hasan criticized the government’s security measures, saying that authorities were scared of an imprisoned Khan. He said many leaders of the party had been arrested. 
“Many PTI leaders have been arrested and so far we don’t have the number of arrests but we will share the numbers by the end of the day,” Hasan.




Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan shout slogans as they take part in a protest rally for the release of their leader Khan, in Peshawar on November 24, 2024. (AN Photo)

Meanwhile, the PTI shared video footage of its supporters from the northwestern areas of Peshawar, Buner, Bajaur, Karak and other parts of the province leaving for Islamabad. Supporters of the party are expected to reach Islamabad from Punjab and Karachi as well. 
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has also left for Islamabad from the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, the party said in a statement. 
Islamabad Police Spokesperson Jawad Taqi said police will comply with the Islamabad High Court’s orders, which had prohibited any protests in the capital.




Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan leave for a Islamabad protest rally for the release of their leader Khan, in Peshawar on November 24, 2024. (AN Photo)

“Security personnel from the Frontier Constabulary, Rangers, Punjab, Sindh and Islamabad police are deployed in the federal capital,” Taqi told Arab News. “Today, over 12 people from different locations have been arrested.”
Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Police Ali Nasir Rizvi told reporters that the capital’s security would not be compromised during the ongoing PTI protests.
“Section 144 has been enforced in the city, banning protests, rallies, and sit-ins, and strict actions will be taken against anyone violating the law,” he said, referring to a law that prohibits public gatherings. 




An aerial view shows a street blocked with shipping containers and freight trucks by order of the government to hinder a rally by members of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanding his release, in Swabi on November 24, 2024. (AFP)

A ban on public gatherings has been imposed in Punjab until Nov. 25, while the Metro Bus service between Islamabad and Rawalpindi will remain suspended on Sunday. 
Pakistan’s parliament earlier this year passed legislation regulating public demonstrations in the capital, including designated protest areas and specific timings for rallies. 
Violators risk imprisonment of up to three years for illegal gatherings and up to 10 years for repeat offenses.


Three million Afghans likely to return this year after Pakistan, Iran introduce new policies

Updated 6 sec ago
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Three million Afghans likely to return this year after Pakistan, Iran introduce new policies

  • Over 1.6 million Afghans have already returned from Pakistan and Iran this year
  • The figure already exceeds the UNHCR’s initial forecasts of 1.4 million for 2025

UNITED NATIONS: Three million Afghans could return to their country this year, a UN refugee official said Friday, warning that the repatriation flow is placing intense pressure on an already major humanitarian crisis.

Iran and Pakistan have introduced new policies affecting displaced Afghans, with Tehran already having given four million “illegal” Afghans until July 6 to leave Iranian territory.

“What we are seeing is the undignified, disorganized and massive exodus of Afghans from both countries, which is generating enormous pressures on the homeland that is willing to receive them and yet utterly unprepared to do so,” the

UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, said during a video press conference from Kabul.

“Of concern to us is this scale, the intensity and the manner in which returns are occurring.”

Over 1.6 million Afghans have already returned from Pakistan and Iran this year, the large majority from Iran, Jamal added. The figure already exceeds the UNHCR’s initial forecasts of 1.4 million for 2025.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees now estimates three million coming into Afghanistan this year, Jamal said.

The UN agency said over 30,000 people per day have streamed across the Islam Qala border into Afghanistan, with 50,000 crossing on July 4 alone.

“Many of these returnees are arriving having been abruptly uprooted and having undergone an arduous, exhausting and degrading journey. They arrive tired, disoriented, brutalized and often in despair,” Jamal said.

The United Nations has taken emergency measures to reinforce water and sanitation systems intended to serve 7,000 to 10,000 people per day, as well as vaccinations and nutrition services.

Many who have crossed the border have reported pressure from Iranian authorities, including arrests and expulsions.


Pakistan issues flood warning for multiple provinces till July 17

Updated 11 min 5 sec ago
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Pakistan issues flood warning for multiple provinces till July 17

  • The development came after nationwide death toll from rains, floods rose to 90 since late June
  • Relief efforts continue in several areas, with tents, ration and blankets distributed among affectees

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a fresh alert and warned of potential flood and flash flood risks in various regions of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan provinces from July 12 till July 17, with at least 90 people killed in rain-related incidents since late June.

In Punjab, widespread rainfall is expected across districts including Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang, Mandi Bahauddin, Sargodha, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Lahore, Narowal, DG Khan, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

This weather activity may result in medium to high flows in torrents of DG Khan and Rajanpur, while nullahs originating from the Pir Panjal range in northeastern Punjab may experience a significant rise in water levels.

Rainfall is expected in KP’s Dir, Swat, Besham, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Karak, Kohat, Kohistan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Mardan, Malakand, Charsadda, Bannu, Buner, Swabi, and Waziristan. This may lead to increased flows in the

Kabul River and its tributaries, including Swat, Panjkora, and Kalpani nullahs. River Swat and Panjkora, along with their associated streams, may swell due to rainfall in their catchments. River Kabul at Nowshera is expected to reach low flood levels.

In Balochistan, an active weather system is likely to trigger isolated rains and thunderstorms from July 13 till July 17 in Ziarat, Quetta, Mastung, Kalat, Surab, Zhob, Barkhan, Musakhel, Loralai, Awaran, Khuzdar, Dera Bugti and surrounding areas, with a possibility of flash flooding in local streams and nullahs, particularly in the torrents originating from the Kirthar Range, according to the NDMA.

“Authorities are advised to ensure the readiness of emergency teams, availability of machinery, and clearance of drainage systems. Tourists should avoid high-altitude areas, while residents in vulnerable zones must secure valuables, vehicles, and livestock, and keep essential supplies,” the NDMA said in its alert issued late Friday.

“District administrations, especially in northeastern and central Punjab, should deploy dewatering equipment to manage urban flooding. Citizens are urged to avoid flooded roads, low bridges, and causeways.”

The death toll from monsoon downpours in Pakistan rose to 90 on Friday after three children died in rain-related incidents in the eastern Punjab province, according to the NDMA.

Punjab has reported 32 deaths, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 30 deaths, Sindh with 16 deaths, Balochistan with 11 fatalities and one man lost his life in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, relief operations continue in affected areas, with authorities distributing tents, ration bags, blankets, sandbags, quilts, gas cylinders, mattresses, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, plastic mats, hygiene kits and food packets to affected families. Pakistan has also rolled out a location-based SMS alert system to warn citizens living in flood-prone areas about imminent weather threats.

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is consistently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains and glacier melt triggered catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700.


US appeals court scraps 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal

Updated 33 min 46 sec ago
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US appeals court scraps 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal

  • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was regarded as one of bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants
  • He had spent three years in secret CIA prisons before arriving at Guantanamo in 2006

WASHINGTON: A US appeals court on Friday scrapped 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s plea agreement that would have taken the death penalty off the table and helped conclude the long-running legal saga surrounding his case.

The agreement had sparked anger among some relatives of victims of the 2001 attacks, and then-US defense secretary Lloyd Austin moved to cancel it last year, saying that both they and the American public deserved to see the defendants stand trial.

Austin “acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgment,” judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao wrote.

Plea deals with Mohammed as well as two alleged accomplices — Walid bin Attash and Mustafa Al-Hawsawi — were announced in late July last year.

The decision appeared to have moved their cases toward resolution after years of being bogged down in pre-trial maneuverings while the defendants remained held at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.

But Austin withdrew the agreements two days after they were announced, saying the decision should be up to him, given its significance.

He subsequently said that “the families of the victims, our service members and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out in this case.”

A military judge ruled in November that the deals were valid and binding, but the government appealed that decision.

The appeals court judges on Friday vacated “the military judge’s order of November 6, 2024, preventing the secretary of defense’s withdrawal from the pretrial agreements.”

And they prohibited the military judge “from conducting hearings in which respondents would enter guilty pleas or take any other action pursuant to the withdrawn pretrial agreements.”

Much of the legal jousting surrounding the 9/11 defendants’ cases has focused on whether they could be tried fairly after having undergone torture at the hands of the CIA — a thorny issue that the plea agreements would have avoided.

Mohammed was regarded as one of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants before his March 2003 capture in Pakistan. He then spent three years in secret CIA prisons before arriving at Guantanamo in 2006.

The trained engineer — who has said he masterminded the 9/11 attacks “from A to Z” — was involved in a string of major plots against the United States, where he attended university.

The United States used Guantanamo, an isolated naval base, to hold militants captured during the “War on Terror” that followed the September 11 attacks in a bid to keep the defendants from claiming rights under US law.

The facility held roughly 800 prisoners at its peak, but they have since slowly been sent to other countries. A small fraction of that number remains.


Pakistan discusses rice, meat exports with Malaysia amid push for export-led growth

Updated 12 July 2025
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Pakistan discusses rice, meat exports with Malaysia amid push for export-led growth

  • The two sides discussed enhanced cooperation during a meeting between Ishaq Dar and Anwar Ibrahim
  • Dar also addressed ASEAN Regional Forum where he called for global peace, justice and climate action

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan discussed expanding exports of rice, meat and other agricultural products with Malaysia on Friday during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Malaysian Premier Anwar Ibrahim, according to an official statement.

Dar arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum, where he also interacted with other world leaders.

His three-day visit aims to deepen Pakistan’s engagement with ASEAN states and advance bilateral cooperation with key regional partners.

“Deputy Prime Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar called on Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” the foreign office said in a statement. “[The] DPM conveyed the good wishes of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the leadership and people of Malaysia and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further expand mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in all spheres.”

“Expanding cooperation in the halal sector, including potential for export of meat and agricultural products from Pakistan, including rice was also discussed at the occasion,” the statement added.

Pakistan has been actively working to diversify its export destinations in recent years, seeking to promote agricultural goods, halal-certified meat, textiles and services as part of its broader strategy for export-led economic growth.

The Malaysian leader reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening longstanding ties with Pakistan.

He said he looked forward to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s forthcoming visit to Malaysia.

During his visit, Dar also addressed the ASEAN Regional Forum, where he called for global peace, justice and urgent climate action in the face of escalating environmental and geopolitical challenges.


Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

  • Islamabad says cross-border militancy remains key obstacle to improved ties, regional integration
  • The two sides have sought to reset relations after a tripartite meeting with China earlier this year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan described the presence of militant outfits in Afghanistan as a “challenge” on Friday, calling it a critical hurdle in improving bilateral ties and advancing regional cooperation, even as both countries have tried to re-engage diplomatically in recent months.

Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since 2023, when Islamabad launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants, mostly Afghans, citing security concerns.

Pakistan has long said militant groups staging attacks in its western border provinces operate from Afghan territory, a claim denied by Taliban officials.

However, the two sides have sought to reset relations recently, agreeing to appoint ambassadors following a tripartite meeting with China and holding additional secretary-level talks in Islamabad earlier this month.

“About the question of sanctuaries in Afghanistan, as I mentioned it remains a challenge, and we are trying to address it in the context of bilateral relations with Afghanistan,” foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said during his weekly news briefing.

“This remains a critical impediment in preventing the relations to reach their full potential, and further impeding the full development of regional cooperation, particularly when other regions are moving toward greater regional integration involving businesses, investment, road and rail network,” he added.

Khan said the “issue of sanctuaries” was also discussed by the Afghan authorities in the recent talks.

“We stay engaged with the Afghan authorities and approach the dialogue with good faith,” he continued. “In terms of the commonalities between the two countries, two cultures, it should be the best of relationships. But the core point which you flagged remains sanctuaries enjoyed by the terrorists inside the Afghan territory.”

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to take action against groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says uses Afghan soil to plan and launch attacks.

The Afghan Taliban, however, have always denied allowing any armed outfits to use their territory to target other countries.