Tensions Mount in Islamabad: Political Showdown Looms

Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, was sealed off and cellphone services suspended to thwart an anti-government rally by Imran Khan's supporters. Authorities enforced strict measures amid international conferences, urging Khan's party to delay the protest. The political tension escalates as Khan continues to challenge the ruling coalition.

Authorities in Pakistan took stringent measures on Friday, sealing off the nation's capital, Islamabad, and suspending cellphone services to disrupt a planned anti-government rally by supporters of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to official sources.

This rally is part of a series of protests pushing for Khan's release and challenging the legitimacy of the ruling coalition, which the former prime minister claims was established through electoral fraud. Authorities have placed shipping containers to block entry and exit points in Islamabad, heavily guarded by police and paramilitary forces.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a late Thursday briefing, urged Khan's party to postpone the rally to avoid disruption ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. Despite the government's appeal, Khan called for his supporters to gather outside parliament, escalating political tensions amidst visits by prominent international leaders.

(With inputs from agencies.)