Pakistan Government Takes Extraordinary Measures to Prevent Protests

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, may have postponed its protest march to Islamabad until October 4, but the Pakistan government wants to leave no stone unturned. It is'hiding behind iron walls'for fear of the party's march. Police have sealed off the city with more than 1,500 shipping containers. Two rows of colourful containers line the road leading to the prime minister's house and parliament. The government has not yet said how long it will keep Islamabad in a state of partial lockdown. The government has declared any kind of protest illegal until the end of the month. The government has deployed thousands of extra security personnel. Police have been given net launchers to trap protesters, and hospital staff have been ordered to be on high alert to deal with a possible'mass influx '. According to Pratt, it is expected to cost the Pakistani government more than a billion rupees in security costs to avert an escalation of the protest to October 27.