Pakistan: Rawalpindi administration has stepped up security amid fears of protests after jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan called on his supporters to take to the streets following his conviction in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case, according to reports. The reports reveal that the security deployment was aimed at maintaining law and order in anticipation of demonstrations by workers of Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Pakistan Mobilises Over 1,300 Security Personnel
Reports quoting officials said that more than 1,300 police officers and security personnel were placed on duty across the city. The deployment was carried out as a precautionary measure in response to Khan’s appeal for protests.
The security arrangement, which included two superintendents of police, seven deputy superintendents of police, 29 inspectors, station house officers, 92 upper subordinates and 340 constables.
Seven sections of Elite Force commandos, 22 Rapid Emergency and Security Operations (RESO) personnel, and 400 members of the Anti-Riots Management Wing were also deployed to handle any unrest.
Jamaat-e-Islami Protests Add to Security Concerns
Apart from PTI, the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami also announced protests across Punjab on Sunday against what it described as the “Black Local Government Act 2025.”
Officials said this announcement further prompted heightened police deployment to prevent any potential law-and-order situation.
Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years Each
Earlier on Saturday, Imran Khan, 73, and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment each in the Toshakhana 2 case, PTI reported.
The verdict was delivered by a special court inside Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail, where Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023.
Soon after the court order, a statement attributed to Khan was posted on his X early Sunday. In the message, the PTI founder said he had urged party leaders to prepare for a protest movement following what he termed a “military-style trial decision.”
“I have sent a message to (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister) Sohail Afridi to prepare for the street movement. The entire nation will have to rise for its rights,” the post said.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
