WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees . But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. “I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president’s Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern , if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. “We’re going to sit down and visit, that’s what this is all about,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect's choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , who has written extensively about locking up Trump's foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees' qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump's team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Showing that concern, Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on Gabbard. Trump's allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president's Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump's first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: “Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won’t stand for it.” One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following “encouraging conversations,” he had committed to selecting a senior official who will "prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst also had praise for Patel — “He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies" — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump's 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump's first inauguration during the country's bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it's important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family's five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by “my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism.” Gabbard said, “It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars.” Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. 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As PTI convoys from across the country were en route to Islamabad on Sunday for the party’s much-touted power show — despite a court order and government warnings against it — the party claimed its workers were being arrested and dispersed using teargas. On Nov 13, Imran Khan issued a “ final call ” for nationwide protests on Nov 24 (today), denouncing what he described as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people and the passage of the 26th amendment, which he said has strengthened a “dictatorial regime”. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that PTI’s planned protest is unlawful and directed the federal government to take all necessary measures to maintain law and order in Islamabad without disrupting public life, particularly as the Belarusian president is scheduled to arrive over the weekend with a high-profile delegation. As PTI supporters, who had set off on their journey earlier in the day, began reaching Islamabad despite government warnings of arrests, the party claimed the police was detaining its workers and using teargas to disperse them. In a post on X at 7:10pm, the PTI shared what it said were “visuals of the extreme shelling by fascist regime against own citizens at Islamabad Express”. Earlier, a Dawn.com correspondent in Islamabad said mobile internet services were down across the city, while major roads, including motorways, were blocked with containers. Pictures shared by the correspondent showed mostly deserted roads and people on motorbikes making their way from a narrow corner of a road blocked by trucks. Trucks block a road in Islamabad. — photo by Umar Bacha “These constant protests are destroying the economy and creating instability ... we want the political leadership to sit together and resolve these matters,” Muhammad Asif, 35, a resident of Islamabad told Reuters in front of a closed market. Separately, in a notification seen by Dawn.com , the office of the district magistrate in Islamabad ordered the closure of all public and private educational institutions in the capital territory tomorrow. The PTI, in a post on X , claimed that the convoy of National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub was targeted near Taxila and shells were fired at it. PTI MNA Sher Afzal Marwat shared a video of his brother Khalid Latif Khan saying his convoy was stopped at Daud Khel and was fired at with “strict teargas shelling”. However, he asserted, “We will reach D Chowk in any circumstance.” In another video , Khalid said that police had been shelling the convoy for over an hour and a half. “We had to face heavy shelling for an hour-and-a-half to two hours,” he said. “Thankfully now, the path has been cleared and we should leave (for D Chowk) within an hour-and-a-half to two hours.” Earlier today, the PTI claimed a “family that had reached D Chowk last night” had been arrested, sharing a video of a woman speaking from inside a prisoner van while another was taken inside too. The woman asked for the reason for being detained, saying, “Okay, we can say sorry that we should not have come to this area.” In another post, the PTI shared a video without specifying the location, saying: “The fascist regime has started, as expected, tear gas shelling against peaceful Pakistanis.” A Dawn.com correspondent present at D-Chowk reported that protesters have still not entered the capital. The PTI posted an update on social media stating that all convoys from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have entered Punjab through different motorways. Senior PTI member and former KP minister Shaukat Yousafzai told Dawn.com that his convoy had managed to reach Taxila via GT Road, but the police blocked the motorway at Burhan. He said that his convoy will turn around to join Gandapur’s. “Opposition leader Umar Ayub, Ali Asghar and others from Kohistan, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Abbottabad and Haripur are in their convoys but they have to join the Gandapur rally to ... reach D Chowk in [a] peaceful manner,” he said. Yousafzai added that the Punjab Police are ready to clash but maintained that the PTI “have one agenda — to hold our peaceful rally”. He also warned that if anything happened, the Punjab Police would be responsible. Meanwhile, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza posted on X that his convoy had reached Sargodha. “Proceed towards Islamabad. Overcome all hurdles from management,” he wrote. Speaking at D-Chowk, the final destination of PTI’s main convoy, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, “One option is that we let them come and [...] paralyse Islamabad. The other option is to protect Islamabad. View this post on Instagram “The area where they (the PTI) have called the protest is a protected area of Islamabad, monitored by the IG and DIG,” Naqvi said, referring to the Red Zone. “Any protesters who enter that area will be arrested,” he warned. View this post on Instagram Despite the security apparatus in place, Naqvi maintained that the blockades were “not as bad as last time” and that the government was trying to give as much relief as possible to those inconvenienced. Referring to the arrival of a Belarusian delegation in the capital, Naqvi said PTI supporters were coming on to the route through which the delegation was supposed to pass. He criticised the PTI for organising protests today instead of attending the funerals being held in Kurram, referring to violent clashes there in the past few days. Addressing the PTI demonstrators, he said: “If you wish to protest, that is your right, but you know exactly who is coming and you have been blocking off roads and causing trouble.” Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said a “comprehensive security plan” had been formed to prevent mischief. Police personnel align before being deployed near a Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers to hinder a rally by members of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI demanding his release, in Islamabad on Nov 24, 2024. — AFP “If a road is closed, a lane has been kept open along it,” the IG said while speaking to the media, stressing that the purpose of the security plan was to secure the people’s lives and property. “There are obstacles, but the movement of people has not been stopped,” he claimed, adding that action would be taken against people carrying weapons or prohibited items. In a post on X earlier today, the Islamabad police said Rawat T Cross was closed for traffic on both sides and only one lane was open at Chungi No.26 for traffic heading both ways. “However, internal roads are partially open for traffic in Islamabad which can be used in case of extreme need,” the police said, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel. In a separate post , the police shared pictures of its personnel stationed at various points to “ensure the imposition of Section 144”, which prohibits gatherings. State broadcaster PTV News shared a post on X pointing out how there were “neither any people nor any flags” on Lahore’s Liberty Chowk, compared to previous instances “when the PTI used to hold its musical shows every other night”. Punjab, especially Lahore, came to a grinding halt on Saturday after the entire intercity bus operation — particularly routes leading to Islamabad and Rawalpindi — were suspended. The security at the Lahore railway station was also beefed up after a huge number of passengers thronged it in a bid to reach their destinations. Internet tracking monitor Netblocks said WhatsApp backends have been restricted in Pakistan, according to a post on X at 1:07am. “Live metrics show WhatsApp backends have been restricted in Pakistan corroborating reports of media sharing issues; the measure comes as authorities tighten security ahead of protests planned by opposition party PTI calling for the release of former PM Imran Khan,” Netblocks said. View this post on Instagram Addressing the media later today, interior minister Naqvi said: “Mobile services are working. The internet has been shut down.” A day ago, the interior ministry said that WiFi and mobile internet services would be suspended only in areas with “security concerns” and remain operational as normal in the rest of the country. In a televised statement, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar termed the PTI responsible for Islamabad’s closure and for “causing damage to businesspeople and the economy”. He asserted that while some routes in the city were closed, others were still open. “The main highway is closed, but despite that people are out and about,” Tarar said. The minister added, “When a party tries to spread division, they do so through violence and property damage. We saw it during the 2014 sit-in, PTV was set on fire and the gates of Parliament were broken down.” Separately, while speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said “PTI’s act will be exposed today”. “I am sure their act will be exposed today [...] why are they spreading anarchy? “Barrister Gohar said [the protest was to] release Imran Khan but he hasn’t been arrested by a deputy commissioner, [through] detention orders or any administrative orders [...] the cases are in the courts and he will have to get himself cleared in those cases.” “If he thinks he is innocent that doesn’t mean you start causing destruction, it means you face your cases in court and tell your lawyers to get the cases disposed quickly,” he said, referring to Imran’s legal challenges. Rallies from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI is in power, left for Islamabad early in the morning, according to the Dawn.com correspondent. MPAs and MNAs of their respective constituencies were leading their convoys and would join the rallies at Burhan near Hazara interchange, the correspondent said, citing PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai. View this post on Instagram However, a heavy police contingent was present on GT Road and motorway at Attock’s Hassanabdal to stop the procession from reaching Islamabad. Several convoys are en route to the capital, PTI shared in multiple posts on X. According to a post on X , a main convoy led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur departed from CM House in Peshawar. CM Gandapur, expected to lead the largest convoy into Islamabad, earlier called on people to gather near the entrance of the city’s red zone, known as “D Chowk”. And aerial view of the PTI convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on November 24. — Photo by Umar Bacha Another video posted by the PTI showed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s convoy approaching Colonel Sher Khan Interchange outside of Mardan. The video showed a top-down view of the convoy which stretched over some distance. Islamabad’s red zone houses the country’s parliament building, important government installations, as well as embassies and foreign institutions’ offices. “[Imran] Khan has called on us to remain there till all our demands are met,” he said in a video message yesterday. A post on PTI MNA Asad Qaiser’s X account said his convoy will reach Swabi’s Ambar Interchange, where it will join CM Gandapur. Supporters led by Omar Ayub also set off on their journey from Haripur, the PTI said. Rehana Dar , mother of former PTI leader Usman Dar and who contested the Feb 8 general elections against PML-N’s Khawaja Asif, also set off with her convoy from Sialkot. Other convoys include those of PTI’s Peshawar president Irfan Saleem , KP health minister Pakhtunyar Khan’s convoy from Bannu, KP minister Dr Amjad Ali and law minister Advocate Aftab Alam . In a post on X , former KP minister Taimur Khan Jhagra said: “To assume that unjust laws should just be followed, that try to protect state capture and make the judiciary subservient, is wrong.” However, he appealed to all protesters: “Stay peaceful. At all costs. Do not let anyone sabotage your protest.” Another post showed a convoy led by PTI South Punjab president Senator Aoun Abbas and MNA Zartaj Gul had departed for Islamabad. A video shared by the party showed Gul standing atop a vehicle, waving a white flag and chanting “Imran Khan Zindabad. Release, release Imran Khan”. A convoy led by the president of PTI’s Balochistan chapter was also on its way to Islamabad. View this post on Instagram A convoy led by PTI leaders Usama Mela and Ansar Iqbal Haral also departed from Sargodha’s Kot Momin. A post by the PTI on X called for protesters to carry signs and placards in English “in order to amplify our message globally.” “Let our voices echo loud and clear as we stand united for justice, democracy, and a constitutional Pakistan!” PTI leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, the Punjab Assembly opposition leader, had earlier said protesters would not leave Islamabad until their demands were accepted. Since Imran’s arrest in August 2023 on several counts, his party has been holding protests across the country for his release and against the alleged rigging of the Feb 8 elections. The last protest in Islamabad by the PTI in early October turned violent with one policeman killed, dozens of security personnel injured and protesters arrested. Both sides accused the other of instigating the clashes. Also on Saturday, the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) issued an alert for possible terrorist attacks during the PTI’s march towards Islamabad, reliable sources told Dawn . According to sources, the alert was issued after “technical and human” intelligence gathered by the apex counter-terrorism body revealed that terrorists were planning “major activities” in big cities of Pakistan. Multiple sources confirmed “necessary preparations” by the terrorists in Afghanistan, who “entered into Pakistan” on the night between Nov 19 and 20. They were expected to station themselves in big cities, the sources added. The terrorists, whom the government and the military refer to as Fitna-al-Khawarij , will possibly target the PTI’s protest “for their vested interest”, as per the sources. Nacta has suggested authorities ensure extreme vigilance and heighten security measures to prevent the attack. The government has vowed to suppress the power show with full force, deploying massive security forces, enforcing a sweeping ban on gatherings, blocking highways and motorways and launching a crackdown on leaders and workers of the opposition party. Paramilitary soldiers stand guard at the Red Zone area blocked with shipping containers ahead of a protest rally by PTI in Islamabad on November 24. — AFP The capital police have prepared a list of over 1,500 PTI leaders and workers in Islamabad and constituted 27 teams to arrest them so they could not participate in the protest. The police also arrested 350 other workers of the party, including leader Nafisa Khattak as well as a nephew and brother-in-law of the party’s Islamabad chapter president Amir Mughal. An overnight crackdown was also launched in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where some elected councillors were among those held. Besides Muzaffarabad police arresting 26 people , the houses of various leaders were also raided, including of AJK Assembly’s opposition leader Khawaja Farooq Ahmed. The government has also put all public sector hospitals in Islamabad on high alert in order to meet any emergency situation. Among methods to curtail the protest is the closure of various motorways and key arteries of Punjab, severing paths to Islamabad at multiple points. The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) announced that six key motorways would be closed for all types of traffic “due to maintenance” from Friday night, advising travellers to avoid unnecessary travel during this period. The motorways closed to traffic are: M1 from Peshawar to Islamabad, M2 from Lahore to Islamabad, M3 from Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, M4 from Pindi Bhattian to Multan, M11 from Sialkot to Lahore, and M14 from Yarik to Hakla. Meanwhile, local authorities blocked bridges over the Chenab and Jhelum rivers in Gujrat district to restrict PTI protesters’ movement towards Islamabad. The closure caused significant inconvenience to commuters who found themselves stuck in long queues of trucks and other vehicles on both sides of the rivers. Heavy containers and trolleys were parked on both sides of the bridges. More to follow Additional input from Reuters