In response to a protest call by the Afia Movement, Islamabad authorities have once again sealed the Red Zone in the federal capital on Sunday, enforcing tight security and road closures in anticipation of potential unrest.
The Afia Movement had announced plans to hold a protest at D-Chowk at 5 p.m., demanding the release of Dr. Afia Siddiqui, a Pakistani national imprisoned in the United States. As a precautionary measure, Islamabad police swiftly closed off the Red Zone, placing containers on roads leading to D-Chowk, including major entry points.
With D-Chowk rendered inaccessible, the Afia Movement shifted the protest to the National Press Club in Islamabad’s F-6 sector. Despite the change in location, authorities remained on high alert, with Jinnah Avenue closed from China Chowk to Express Chowk in both directions. Entry into the Red Zone was further restricted from Nadera Chowk.
In a traffic advisory, the Islamabad police urged citizens to avoid the affected areas and instead use alternate routes such as Margalla Road or Serena Chowk. The police emphasized that no permission had been granted for protests in the Red Zone, and any unauthorized gatherings would be met with appropriate action.
Dr. Afia Siddiqui, who has become a symbol of protest for many in Pakistan, is currently serving an 86-year sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on charges that include attempted murder of U.S. personnel.
