The 2024 race has seen more twists than a Hollywood blockbuster
world3 days ago
Pakistan's capital was locked down on Saturday, swarmed by security forces with mobile internet cut as supporters of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan attempted to seize the streets in protest.
Sidelined by dozens of legal cases, Khan was barred from standing in the February elections that were marred by allegations of rigging.
But his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has defied a crackdown to needle the government with regular demonstrations.
PTI activists began driving to Islamabad on Friday from his powerbase in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but were met with shipping container roadblocks and volleys of tear gas.
On Saturday, small and scattered convoys pressed in on Islamabad in defiance of the government, which approved troops for deployment on the streets -- citing the need to guarantee security ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit due to open on October 15.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi later told local media that more than 550 people were arrested.
Protests were also held in Lahore, however the main motorway linking the eastern megacity to the capital was blocked.
"I am so proud of all our people," said a message from Khan posted on social media site X on Saturday afternoon. "You showed unfaltering resilience and courage as you came out yesterday and overcame unbelievable obstacles."
The social media site X -- formerly Twitter -- has been blocked across Pakistan since after the election, when mobile internet was likewise cut on polling day and PTI allege widespread vote tampering took place.
The 2024 race has seen more twists than a Hollywood blockbuster
world3 days ago
Time is running out, Antonio Guterres told the 15-member Security Council
world3 days ago
Ukraine now spends roughly half of its state budget — or about $40 billion — on defence
world3 days ago
The advance of Moscow's forces, which control just under a fifth of Ukraine, has underlined Russia's vast superiority in men and materiel
world3 days ago
Teams of enumerators accompanied by soldiers and armed police went door to door in Yangon to fill in the 68-question survey
world3 days ago
The debate is likely the final one of the 2024 presidential campaign, potentially giving it some extra weight ahead of the November 5 election
world3 days ago
Taal is one of the world's smallest active volcanoes and some of its previous eruptions have impacted the capital and air travel
world3 days ago
The 207 to 121 vote was largely a repeat of the Conservatives' failed attempt last week to trigger snap elections
world3 days ago