Thousands of police officers and personnel from Punjab and Sindh are heading to Islamabad to assist local authorities as the federal government tightens security ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) planned march on 27 September, police sources said. The government's move comes as the party has announced a protest and march towards Islamabad to demand the release of its incarcerated founder Imran Khan and what it describes as the supremacy of the Constitution. Around 1,950 police officers and personnel from Sindh are expected to reach Islamabad on Tuesday night, according to police sources. Punjab will also provide 19,000 police personnel and officers, with the contingent expected to reach the capital over the next two days. The federal government had sought assistance from Punjab for 23,000 police personnel and officers, the sources added. Arrangements for the stay of personnel from Sindh, Punjab, and the Frontier Corps have also been completed.
The Islamabad High Court has issued directions concerning the proposed march, stipulating that public roads and other facilities should not be obstructed. Meanwhile, Islamabad Police have arrested MNA Adil Bazai, taking the number of detained Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in the capital to six, according to police sources. The detained lawmakers include Senator Saifullah Niazi, and MNAs Sanaullah Masti Khel, Mian Ahsan Jamal, Dawar Kundi, Ghaus Muhammad, and Adil Bazai. They have been detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance and shifted to Jhelum Jail, reports indicate.
Meanwhile, long lines of containers are being welded together at various locations in Islamabad overnight to restrict movement during the protest. Authorities had already begun arranging large numbers of containers to block key entry and exit points and major roads in the capital ahead of the 27 September mobilization. However, the party has maintained that it will proceed with the march, describing the protest as its democratic and constitutional right. Speaking to the media in Peshawar on Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the party has been in contact with relevant stakeholders at the federal level and has conveyed its concerns over recent arrests. He urged authorities to avoid further arrests, warning that such measures could aggravate the situation.
The detention of Imran Khan's family members has further escalated tensions. His sisters, Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan, have been detained and transferred to Kot Lakhpat Jail for 30 days, following the detention of their sister Aleema Khan. A petition challenging Aleema's detention has also been filed in the Lahore High Court. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that the government will adopt a permanent strategy to prevent a repeat of prolonged disruptions caused by demonstrations. He warned that Islamabad will not be allowed to remain paralyzed for days, adding that the government will implement court orders if protesters violate the law.