Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan called off a massive street protest in the capital Islamabad on Wednesday after a nighttime attack by police and paramilitary forces, leaving hundreds injured and thousands more injured. More arrests were made.
On Sunday, large lines of protesters poured into Islamabad, triggering a city-wide lockdown and a massive police response. Police barricaded themselves in shipping containers to keep marchers away from D-Chalk Square, where important government offices are located, but marchers pushed through The barricades sparked violent clashes on Tuesday that left six security personnel dead.
Most of the demonstrators are members of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI), which is furious that the former prime minister has been imprisoned for years on charges of corruption and abuse of power. He denies this as a political hoax. Mr. Khan's supporters also believed that this year's elections were rigged to keep the PTI from power.
The demonstration, led by Mr Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, had planned to occupy the “red zone” in D-Chowk Square until Mr Khan was released and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government resigned. Those plans appear to have fallen through after Wednesday. overnight raid.
According to Pakistani media reports, the government turned off the lights in central Islamabad after midnight and showered clouds of tear gas on protest camps.
Almost all protesters had left by sunrise. An eerie symbol of the broken protests was the burnt remains of the truck that transported Bushra Bibi to Islamabad.
Human rights groups and PTI leaders expressed some concern over the late-night heavy-handed attack, but said Pakistani troops had been deployed to protect D-Chowk Square and that government officials had opened fire on them. It is certain that the situation could have been even worse. -Sight command.
The military has taken a dim view of PTI supporters ever since they destroyed military property during the war. riot May 2023 after Khan's arrest. PTI also held a demonstration march in Islamabad in October, during which clashes with police resulted in the death of one police officer.
Security officials have described this week's protesters as an invading force armed with iron bars, clubs, slingshots and homemade tear gas canisters, committing vandalism and arson as they stormed into Islamabad. accused of being
PTI decided to part ways after the late-night raid. Spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said two protesters were killed, one shot dead and another run over by a police vehicle.
Mohammad Asim, chairman of PTI's stronghold city of Peshawar, said there was a need for a tactical retreat following strong action by police during the night.
“We will formulate a new strategy later after due consultations,” Asim said. said. He added that Bibi and other PTI leaders were able to leave Islamabad “safely” and return to Khyber Pakhtankhwa province, where Peshawar is located.
Police officials said On Wednesday, it announced that 954 of the estimated 10,000 pro-Khan marchers had been arrested for disobeying a ban on public gatherings. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid tribute to the security forces who “bravely repulsed the protesters”.
Khan himself called on his supporters to continue the fight, and perhaps for more to come back, but he also urged people to “remain peaceful, remain united, and stand firm until our demands are met.” He called on people to “maintain the same.”
