Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad claimed sweeping security measures, leaving locals alarmed and businesses scrambling.
A notification by Rawalpindi police surfaced online claimed closure of a wide range of businesses ahead of expected talks in capital. It said cafés, restaurants and gyms will remain closed, and even barbershops, beauty parlours have been told to shut, creating an atmosphere many are comparing to an emergency lockdown.
Amid the panic, Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi shared update, saying the notification is fake, and that authorities have not shared any such update. He told the masses to rely on authentic information coming from official channels.
A second round of US-Iran talks is expected to take place in Islamabad in coming days, with technical teams working toward a draft agreement to end their ongoing conflict, which has disrupted global energy supplies.
If progress is made, top leaders including Donald Trump and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian may travel to Pakistan to sign the deal. Diplomatic communication has continued since the first round of talks earlier this month. Although preparations are underway, no official confirmation of the meeting date has been announced.
