ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have partially suspended internet services and restricted access to WhatsApp in some areas of the capital on Sunday as supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan began marching toward Islamabad.
The demonstration, called by Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is aimed at demanding the release of ex-premier and other political prisoners.
Khan, who has been in prison since August 2023 on corruption charges, has urged his supporters to gather at Islamabad’s D-Chowk public square and remain there until their demands are met.
The political unrest comes at a time when Islamabad is also hosting a high-level delegation from Belarus, including President Alexandr Lukashenko.
The Pakistani government has bolstered security across the capital, deploying tens of thousands of police officers and paramilitary forces in riot gear.
Authorities have also sealed off major roads leading to Islamabad, using shipping containers to block access to key government areas, including the Supreme Court and the Parliament buildings.
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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasised the government’s position on security, stating that the Islamabad High Court’s ruling on protest activities is binding and that any protester who enters the restricted D-Chowk area will be arrested.
“This is a protected zone,” Naqvi warned, speaking to the press as the protest escalated.
Despite the heavy security presence, PTI leaders, including the party’s Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, have vowed to continue their march to Islamabad.
“Khan has called on us to remain there until all our demands are met,” Gandapur told reporters before departing for the capital.
In addition to the physical barriers, authorities have implemented internet restrictions, particularly targeting mobile data and WhatsApp services.
Global internet observatory NetBlocks reported the disruption, confirming that WhatsApp’s back-end services were blocked in Pakistan, a move corroborated by users experiencing issues with media sharing and messaging.
The Interior Ministry confirmed that mobile and Wi-Fi services have been shut down in areas deemed to have security concerns, though it assured that the rest of the country’s internet services would continue to operate normally.
