Officials urge Imran to postpone upcoming rally

Pakistan’s government asked former Prime Minister Imran Khan to postpone his planned protest on Saturday, citing the threat of terror attacks. “Anti-state elements like Al Qaida/Daesh, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and radicalised youth of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan can take advantage of soft targets like public gatherings to destabilise the country through suicide attacks, improvised explosive devices, etc,” the Interior Ministry said in a letter to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, referring to local branches of the Taliban and Daesh, and a local radical religious party. “It is, therefore, once again requested that the security situation prevailing in the country may be kept in view and PTI leadership may consider the possibility of postponing public gatherings like the one planned in Rawalpindi on November 26.”

The federal Interior Ministry on Wednesday shared with media copies of the letter, in which it said it expects the provincial government to provide security for the rally in Rawalpindi. A representative for the PTI didn’t immediately reply to a call and text message seeking comment.