Islamabad, Pakistan – For Mohammad Zaheer, a 14-year-old ninth-grader at a government school in Islamabad, the unexpected Monday holiday was a chance to play cricket with his friends on empty roads, free from the worry of vehicles disrupting their game.
His only concern? Whether there would be another holiday on Tuesday.
“I hope there is, so our school stays closed for another day, and I can hang out with my friends,” Zaheer cheerfully told Al Jazeera on Monday morning.
Zaheer’s school, along with all other educational institutions in Islamabad, was closed – not for a public holiday, but due to the anticipated arrival of thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters for a major protest in the national capital.
Thousands of PTI members and supporters had begun a march from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – a province where the party is in power – to Islamabad on November 24, pledging to lay siege to the capital until their leader and party founder, Imran Khan, is released from jail.
The protesters have reached close to the boundary of Islamabad, despite facing obstacles and amid clashes with police. The convoy, led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, is expected to arrive in the capital later in the evening on Monday.
Khan, a former prime minister, has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges.
Despite his incarceration, Khan issued a “final call” on November 14, urging supporters to take to the streets on November 24 to protest against the “stolen mandate” of this year’s elections, “unjust arrests” of PTI leaders and activists and against the passing of a recent controversial constitutional amendment, which gave government oversight powers on appointment of judges in superior courts.
The PTI was barred by election authorities from using its party symbol in the country’s February election, but its candidates – who stood as independents – still won more seats than any other party. The PTI however alleges that counting was manipulated and its candidates actually won many more seats. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which finished second and third in the election, formed a coalition that now rules the country.
In response to PTI calls for protests in Islamabad in recent months, the government has repeatedly imposed measures such as shutting down the city’s entry and exit points and enforcing internet blackouts.
“PTI protests harm the country and create significant hardship for citizens,” Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said during a news conference on November 24 at D-Chowk, the designated endpoint of the PTI march.
D-Chowk lies in Islamabad’s “Red Zone”, an area housing key government institutions such as the presidency, prime minister’s office, national assembly, supreme court, and the diplomatic enclave.
The government’s decision to block entry points from Friday night onward severely disrupted regular commutes, while businesses across the city reported sharp declines in activity.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday that opposition protests result in daily losses of 190 billion rupees ($684m), citing reduced tax collection and stalled business operations.
Among those affected was Tahir Mehmood, a 38-year-old furniture salesman at Abbas Market, about a kilometre (half a mile) from D-Chowk.
“For three days, I have sat in my shop without a single customer. I can’t even go home because the roads are blocked, and I’m afraid the police might mistake me for a protester and arrest me,” Mehmood told Al Jazeera.
“I’m not interested in politics. It doesn’t matter to me who’s in power. All I care about is earning for my family of six. Instead, I’m spending money on electricity and food without making a single rupee. I haven’t even seen my children for three days,” he added.
These frustrations were echoed by Safdar Ali, a bike rider for ride-hailing app Bykea, who found it impossible to find work through his app due to mobile internet blackouts.
“I don’t know who to blame. The government says billions are being lost, and PTI claims they’re fighting for their leader’s release. But we daily wage workers bear the real cost. Who will compensate us?” the 34-year-old lamented, adding he was forced to work despite running a fever.
The city’s roads were blocked with large shipping containers, barbed wire, and other barriers, forcing commuters to navigate an increasingly inaccessible terrain.
On Monday morning, Islamabad’s usually bustling streets were quiet, with significantly reduced traffic. Many shops remained closed, while those that stayed open saw shopkeepers waiting idly for customers.
Daud Shafqat, a 23-year-old barber in the upscale F-6 neighbourhood, said he had spent most of the past two days watching YouTube and TikTok, thanks to the shop’s internet connection. Broadband internet is still up in Islamabad.
“In two days, I’ve had only three clients. The rest of the time, I’m just sitting outside. At least I have my phone for entertainment,” he said.
While Shafqat expressed admiration for Imran Khan and expressed his support for PTI, he had no plans to join the protest.
“I hope Khan is released soon, but attending protests is out of the question for me. Honestly, it feels like a waste of time,” he added.
For Jamal Abdullah, a producer at a private entertainment channel in Islamabad, getting to work was an ordeal. He finally reached his office after 11am, two hours late.
“I live about 20km away, and my commute usually takes less than half an hour. Today, I tried multiple detours with my car, but all the roads were blocked. Eventually, I went back home, parked my car and had to hire a bike to get to the office,” he said.
Abdullah likened the recurring protests in Islamabad to his years living in Karachi, the country’s largest city in the southern province of Sindh, which was once plagued by daily violence.
“When I moved to Islamabad 10 years ago, I thought it was the best decision of my life. Now, my friends in Karachi tell me to come back, and I wonder if moving here was a mistake,” he said.
At Aabpara Market, one of Islamabad’s oldest and busiest commercial areas, the atmosphere was similarly subdued. Usually packed with customers and vehicles, the market on Monday had empty parking spaces and idle shopkeepers.
“This is madness. Every month, there’s a protest, and nothing changes. How long will one party hold the city hostage?” said 51-year-old mobile shop owner Rana Shafiq, visibly exasperated.
Shafiq said many shopkeepers were angry at both PTI and the government for failing to resolve their differences.
“The two sides need to sit down and talk. Aabpara used to be so busy that you couldn’t find a parking spot. Now, we’re just sitting here incurring losses. Enough is enough. They need to sort this out,” he said.
