Tue Nov 19 09:21:29 UTC 2024: ## Islamabad Bans Public Gatherings Ahead of Imran Khan Rally

**ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN –** Pakistani authorities have imposed a ban on gatherings of five or more people in Islamabad, effective immediately. The ban, announced Tuesday, precedes a planned Sunday rally by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, aimed at pressuring the government for his release. While officials cite maintaining peace and order in the current volatile security climate as the reason, no specific security threat was mentioned. The ban follows a similar, albeit less restrictive, clampdown last month that forced a Khan-led rally to the city outskirts.

Khan, imprisoned for over a year on more than 150 criminal charges, remains a popular figure, with his party claiming the charges are politically motivated. The government reportedly is attempting to negotiate with Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to postpone the rally due to concerns about potential militant attacks, a concern heightened by a recent surge in militant violence across Pakistan. Images from a PTI rally in Swabi, Pakistan, showed supporters demanding Khan’s release.

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