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With no end to Pakistan’s political crisis, the march which began as a support rally turned violent on Tuesday leading to arrest of thousands of Imran Khan’s supporters.
Damaged vehicles left behind by supporters of Imran Khan’s PTI when security forces launched an operation Tuesday night to disperse them, in Islamabad. (AP Photo)
Pakistan is once again facing political turmoil as the standoff between the Pakistani government and the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan took a violent turn on Tuesday after the police fired on the protesters, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries. The police action came after hundreds of protesters stormed Islamabad to demand the release of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan from prison.
The situation grabbed widespread attention as tens of thousands of Khan’s supporters stormed Pakistan’s capital city in defiance of government orders and broke through a barrier of shipping containers blocking off Islamabad. Given the violent clash, the authorities deployed army and paramilitary forces in huge numbers.
Notably, the forces were issued with shoot-to-kill orders in an effort to stop the crowds from entering Islamabad’s high-security area, which houses the country’s Parliament, the Prime Minister’s residence and other important buildings.
Imran’s Supporters Demand His Release
Demanding the release of their leader, the members of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) launched a march towards Islamabad on Sunday. The protest that led to deadly clashes with security forces was led by Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi and other senior party leaders.
The Pakistani authorities have arrested nearly 1,000 supporters of Imran Khan. The supporters have also alleged that hundreds had suffered gunshot wounds during chaotic scenes that occurred overnight in Islamabad as police tried to disperse them. However, News18 can not independently verify the claims.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Police Chief Ali Rizvi denied allegations of live ammunition being used during the operation and said that 600 protesters were arrested on Tuesday, bringing the total of arrests since the protest sit-in began on Sunday to 954.
He further claimed that weapons, including automatic rifles and tear gas guns, were seized from the protest site where thousands had gathered, Reuters reported.
Imran Khan In Jail
The former cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 on allegations of corruption. Khan continues to enjoy popularity among his fans despite being the subject of hundreds of court trials ranging from sedition to corruption.
The former Prime Minister has claimed that he is a victim of political vendettas by the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Khan was first arrested in May 2023 over allegations that his wife, Bushra Bibi, and he received land worth up to 7 billion rupees as a bribe through a trust created in 2018, while he still held office of Pakistan’s Prime Minister. However, his wife Bushra Bibi later received bail. Khan was also released on bail after three days in prison, during which his supporters attacked and set fire to military and other state installations.
In addition to this, Imran Khan is also facing several other serious charges, including charges of anti-terrorism in connection with the violence that followed his arrest in May last year.
- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan