In Islamabad, supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan breached the shipping container barriers securing the capital on Tuesday, resulting in at least six fatalities amid the ensuing violence. Protesters clashed with security forces, disregarding the government’s warning of lethal force.
The deceased included four security personnel and a civilian, killed when a vehicle struck them. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident, labeling the perpetrators an “anarchist group” deliberately targeting law enforcement. No group claimed responsibility for the vehicular assault. Another police officer died in a separate incident.
Shortly after midnight, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a threat, stating security forces would respond with live fire if protesters opened fire on them.
“If they again fire bullets, the bullet will be responded with the bullet,” he stated.
Police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowds. Numerous injuries were reported, including among journalists who were attacked by Khan’s supporters. A videographer for the Associated Press was assaulted, his camera stolen, and he sustained head injuries requiring hospitalization.
Pakistani media largely ceased coverage of the rally itself, instead focusing on security measures and the deserted city streets.
Khan, incarcerated for over a year and facing more than 150 criminal charges, retains significant popular support. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains the charges are politically motivated.
Authorities assert that only courts can order Khan’s release; he was ousted in 2022 via a no-confidence vote and imprisoned following his first graft conviction in August 2023, with subsequent sentences in other cases.
Khan’s supporters were approximately 10 km (6.2 miles) from their intended destination, the Red Zone, containing key government buildings. Naqvi reported that Khan’s party rejected a government offer to hold the rally outside the city.
Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, leading the protest, urged peaceful progression towards the Red Zone, promising further action if Khan remained imprisoned. She also pleaded with the government to avoid harming demonstrators.
To counter the protest, police arrested over 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday, and suspended mobile and internet services in some areas. On Thursday, a court banned rallies in the capital, with Naqvi warning of arrests for violations.
Travel between Islamabad and other cities was severely hampered by roadblocks of shipping containers. All educational institutions remained closed. Mobile internet and messaging services in the capital experienced significant disruption.
The PTI heavily utilizes social media to advocate for Khan’s release and employs messaging platforms like WhatsApp to disseminate information, including event details. The X platform, banned in Pakistan, remained inaccessible even with VPN use.
This violence coincided with an official visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
—Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report.
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