Pakistani authorities have placed shipping containers on key roads and highways leading to the capital and suspended cellphone service in Islamabad in an attempt to prevent supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan from holding a rally seeking his release.

Authorities in Pakistan sealed off the capital, Islamabad, and blocked cellphone services on Friday to prevent an anti-government rally by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, officials said.

The highlights this week: Pakistan’s opposition sounds off against proposed amendments to the constitution, the U.S. State Department’s top Afghanistan official moves on without a replacement, and police crack down hard on protests in Bangladesh.

The Pakistani government blocked key routes to Islamabad, suspended Internet services, and shut down schools to prevent Imran Khan supporters from protesting for his release. Despite the ban, Khan's party insisted on rallying,

The crackdown comes as PTI, under the direction of its founder Imran Khan, called for a protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad on October 4. In response, the authorities implemented strict security measures to prevent demonstrators from reaching the protest site.

Police in Pakistan's capital fired teargas on Friday as they clashed with supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who were holding an anti-government rally in defiance of a ban on congregating in the city.

Pakistani authorities on Friday deployed the army in the capital for two weeks as violent protesters who support jailed former prime minister Imran Khan clashed with police after they were blocked from entering the city.