{"id":246,"date":"2026-09-23T16:48:28","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T16:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/23\/punjab-demands-internet-blackout-as-government-braces-for-ptis-high-stakes-islamabad-march\/"},"modified":"2026-09-23T16:48:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T16:48:28","slug":"punjab-demands-internet-blackout-as-government-braces-for-ptis-high-stakes-islamabad-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/23\/punjab-demands-internet-blackout-as-government-braces-for-ptis-high-stakes-islamabad-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Punjab Demands Internet Blackout as Government Braces for PTI’s High-Stakes Islamabad March"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Pakistan is heading toward a major political confrontation as the Punjab government has formally requested federal authorities to shut down mobile and internet services in key areas ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned march to Islamabad on September 27.<\/p>\n

The provincial home department has asked for signal disruptions and service suspensions in strategic locations across Attock and Rawalpindi districts, including Brahma, Bahter, Taxila, Wah Sadar, and Chakri. The move signals the government’s determination to prevent what it fears could become a repeat of the violent unrest that followed Imran Khan’s 2023 arrest.<\/p>\n

PTI has called for nationwide protests demanding the release of its imprisoned founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with what the party describes as restoration of constitutional supremacy. The 73-year-old former cricket icon, ousted through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, remains behind bars despite most of his convictions being suspended or overturned on appeal.<\/p>\n

The federal government is leaving nothing to chance. Nearly 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in and around Islamabad, according to an Interior Ministry official. Major highways connecting the capital to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2014where PTI governs\u2014have been sealed indefinitely. Shipping containers now barricade the government district housing parliament, the prime minister’s residence, and foreign embassies.<\/p>\n

Punjab has also requested Rangers deployment across four districts: three companies for Rawalpindi, five wings for Attock, and one company each for Jhelum and Mianwali. The province has imposed Section 144 until October 5, banning gatherings of more than five people, rallies, processions, and public displays of weapons. Wedding ceremonies, funerals, and religious gatherings remain exempt.<\/p>\n

In recent days, authorities have detained three of Khan’s sisters and hundreds of party activists, citing public order concerns. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan condemned what he called political victimization, revealing that four family members of the PTI founder, eight National Assembly members, and several provincial ministers are currently in custody or missing.<\/p>\n

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned that police are authorized to respond forcefully if the march turns violent, stating bluntly that security forces will not stand idle if protesters open fire.<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes, contacts between PTI leadership and authorities have reportedly failed to produce any breakthrough. Sources familiar with the discussions say a deep trust deficit has prevented agreement. Authorities reportedly offered concessions\u2014including transferring Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi to their Bani Gala residence and facilitating hospital treatment for Khan\u2014in exchange for PTI calling off the march and pledging to avoid future sit-ins and road blockades. PTI did not accept the terms.<\/p>\n

PTI’s actual mobilization strategy appears heavily concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with workers in Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan instructed to hold local protests due to administrative pressure. The main thrust of the march is expected from KP, though PTI leaders publicly insist the September 27 program will proceed nationwide.<\/p>\n

The protest coincides with widespread public discontent over inflation and rising fuel prices, potentially drawing support beyond PTI’s core base. Khan’s 2023 arrest triggered nationwide riots that saw unprecedented attacks on military installations, shaking the Pakistani military’s standing.<\/p>\n

PTI Chairman Gohar has called for dialogue to resolve the crisis, saying political disputes can only be settled through political means. He warned that attempts to weaken political opposition carry known consequences and accused the federal government of imposing “unannounced Governor’s Rule” in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n

As the September 27 deadline approaches, Pakistan faces a tense standoff between a determined opposition and a government preparing for the worst. The outcome could shape the country’s political landscape for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pakistan is heading toward a major political confrontation as the Punjab government has formally requested federal authorities to shut down mobile and internet services in key areas ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned march to Islamabad<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":245,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[3,6,9,4],"class_list":["post-246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan","tag-ai-consensus","tag-express-tribune","tag-geo-news","tag-journalist-ai"],"featured_image_url":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/punjab-demands-internet-blackout-as-government-braces-for-pti-s-high-stakes-islamabad-march.png","read_time":"3 min read","source_name":"Goodforfree","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodforfree.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}