Pakistan Suspends Internet in Islamabad and Rawalpindi Amid Planned TLP Anti-Israel Protest

Pakistan's government has implemented an internet shutdown in Islamabad and Rawalpindi in anticipation of an anti-Israel demonstration organized by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). The Islamist political party has expressed dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir for allegedly yielding to US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by endorsing the Gaza peace agreement.

According to Pakistani media sources, security measures have been intensified throughout both cities ahead of the TLP's planned "Aqsa Million March," scheduled to proceed from Faizabad to the American Embassy in Islamabad on Friday.

Officials are preparing to block critical intersections and main thoroughfares in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to preserve public order, as reported by Pakistani publication The National.

In Rawalpindi, law enforcement has begun requisitioning containers and trailers as part of their strategy to manage potential unrest. These vehicles are being positioned along roadways for possible deployment as barricades if circumstances require.

Containers have already been strategically placed near Faizabad Junction in Islamabad as authorities prepare for the demonstration. Capital police have initiated detentions of local TLP leadership, with 280 individuals already in custody, according to Dawn newspaper.

Additionally, Pakistan's Interior Ministry has instructed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend mobile and internet connectivity in both urban centers indefinitely, beginning Friday at midnight. Several educational institutions have announced closures in response to the planned rally and the government's corresponding security preparations.

Meanwhile, TLP representatives have requested security assistance from Islamabad police for their demonstration, which the organization describes as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.