According to police sources, entry and exit points in Shahdara have been declared sensitive, with containers likely to be placed in the area to control movement in case of a protest or march towards Islamabad.
The sources say that special police squads are being deployed at the entry and exit routes. Authorities have also completed coordination between Islamabad and Punjab districts to monitor and curb potential unrest.
In Lahore, police have been conducting raids on homes, offices, and outhouses linked to PTI supporters, arresting over 500 activists so far from various areas, including Millat Park, Hanjarwal, Mansoora, Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate, and Green Town.
Raids have also been conducted in Shahdara Town, Shahdara, Badami Bagh, and Tajpura. Police sources say that the arrests are being carried out based on lists of individuals suspected of involvement in activities that could disrupt law and order.
From Iqbal Town division alone, 65 individuals were detained on concerns of disturbing law and order, while 14 arrests were made last night from Green Town and Township.
The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 across the province from November 23 to 25, banning all protests, gatherings, processions, rallies, and sit-ins. The decision, announced through an official notification, aims to maintain law and order in the region.
Authorities have stated that the ban is being implemented in light of potential unrest and public gatherings during this period. The move comes as a precautionary measure to prevent disturbances and ensure the safety of citizens and property.
In response to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) call for a protest at D-Chowk in the federal capital on November 24, authorities have announced comprehensive measures, including sealing 24 key locations in the city and deploying heavy contingents of police forces.
All the entry and exit routes of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, will be sealed with containers.
The Islamabad Transport Authority has ordered the closure of all transport terminals starting at 8pm tonight, with orders to seal bus terminals with tents.
Moreover, there will be strict surveillance and heavy police presence on all entry and exit routes. Containers have been brought into the city and will be placed strategically on major roads and entry points to block access to the protest site.
Containers will be placed on Murree Road to block entry into Islamabad, as well as at Rawat's T Chowk, on the entry route from Faizabad to Islamabad, on No 26 Chungi and Srinagar Highway, New Margalla Road Iran Avenue, in Sector I-8, IJP Double Road and Margalla Road, and at Sangjani, Sector G-11 Chowk, Golra Mor Flyover and Underpass.
The authorities have also decided to seal the Red Zone entirely if the situation escalates during the protest. More than 2,200 containers have been brought to Islamabad, and additional personnel have been called in to bolster security.
Section 144 has been imposed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, banning public gatherings and protests in both cities.
The administration plans to deploy strict surveillance and maintain a heavy police presence on all internal and external routes to ensure the city's safety.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has categorically stated that no march or sit-in will be permitted in Islamabad, and emphasised that the Islamabad High Court's directives will be strictly enforced.
Speaking to the media, Naqvi warned that any violation of court orders would result in action, with violators held responsible for any damage or loss of life.
Naqvi reiterated that the high court’s orders would be implemented "100%" and no one allowed to protest in Islamabad. "I want no shop, business, or road to be closed," he said, stressing that citizens’ daily lives must not be disrupted by political protests or unrest.
