Deadly Protests Erupt in Pakistan as Imran Khan Supporters Demand His Release

Imran Khan Supporters Clash with Police in Islamabad

The situation in Islamabad remains tense, with authorities reporting that at least one policeman was killed...

Imran Khan's supporters have clashed with police in Islamabad, leaving scores injured. The protests are demanding Khan's release and the government's resignation.

A violent clash in Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, resulted in the deaths of four security force members on Tuesday, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The incident occurred as thousands of supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan defied a police lockdown and marched towards the city center.

To disperse the protesters, police employed tear gas and rubber bullets after they broke through a barricade of shipping containers blocking access to the national capital. The government issued a warning that security forces would respond with live gunfire if protesters used weapons against them.

According to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the four members of the paramilitary Rangers force lost their lives after being “run over by a vehicle.” There were no claims of responsibility for the attack.

Violent clashes in Islamabad have left scores of people wounded, including journalists who were attacked by supporters of Imran Khan. The protesters, who are demanding Khan's release and the government's resignation, have been defying a lockdown in the city since Saturday.

The lockdown has severely disrupted life in Islamabad, with mobile internet services partially suspended and over 20,000 police personnel deployed on the streets. Many of these personnel are armed with batons and riot gear, indicating the government's determination to maintain order.

The protesters are responding to Khan's call for a sit-in demonstration near the parliament. Despite the lockdown, they have managed to gather in large numbers, leading to clashes with security forces. The situation remains tense, with no clear end in sight.

Convoys of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have successfully traveled to Islamabad, overcoming roadblocks and hauling aside shipping containers to clear a path for their rally. The party's supporters came from the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the most populous province of Punjab.

Imran Khan, the 72-year-old former cricketer and prime minister, has been imprisoned for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases. Khan's party, PTI, claims that these charges are politically motivated. Despite this, Khan remains a charismatic figure and a popular leader in Pakistan.

Khan's supporters are demanding his release, and the situation in Islamabad remains tense. The government has imposed a lockdown, suspended mobile and internet services, and arrested over 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday. Despite these measures, the protesters continue to march towards the Red Zone, which houses key government buildings.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the recent clashes in Islamabad, labeling them as attempts to achieve “evil political designs.” He emphasized that the protests are not peaceful, but rather a form of extremism. This statement comes from his office, issued on Tuesday.

The situation in Islamabad remains tense, with authorities reporting that at least one policeman was killed and dozens more injured in clashes outside the city on Monday. The protesters, supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, were attempting to march on the capital. The demonstrations have resulted in significant disruptions, with educational facilities closed and mobile phone services suspended in some areas.

The protests are a challenge for Sharif's government, which is trying to focus on restructuring the country's weak economy under an International Monetary Fund loan program. The unrest is estimated to be costing the economy around 144 billion rupees ($518 million) daily, according to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.