At least six security personnel were killed and dozens injured in Pakistan after thousands of supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through barriers and entered Islamabad on Tuesday morning.
The capital had been under a security lockdown for three days following Khan’s call for his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members to march to parliament and hold a sit-in demanding his release.
By Tuesday morning, over 100,000 of Khan’s supporters breached the barriers and advanced toward Islamabad’s “red zone,” a heavily fortified area housing parliament and diplomatic offices. The area was secured with barriers, shipping containers, and riot police.
Leading the protesters were Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, recently freed from prison, and Ali Amin Gandapur, a senior PTI leader and chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Tens of thousands more supporters were expected to join from Punjab and Rawalpindi.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had warned of severe measures, including a curfew or military deployment, to prevent protesters from reaching the red zone. Naqvi also stated that authorities had offered PTI a separate protest venue outside Islamabad, but no response had been received from Khan.
The PTI protest aims to secure Khan’s release, claiming the former leader is a political prisoner facing fabricated charges.
Khan, ousted by parliament in 2022 after falling out with the military, faces numerous accusations, including corruption and incitement of violence, which he and his party deny.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif’s government responded with heavy security measures, blocking highways with containers, deploying thousands of police, and using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds. Public transport into Islamabad was also suspended.
One police officer was killed, 119 others were injured, and 22 police vehicles were torched during clashes in Islamabad and Punjab, according to provincial police chief Usman Anwar. Four paramilitary Rangers were killed after being hit by a car driven by PTI supporters. The tally has now reached six.
PTI claimed the government used excessive force, including live ammunition, and accused authorities of detaining around 5,000 supporters, though officials reported 80 arrests. Schools in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were closed, and public gatherings were banned.
This protest, described by Khan as the “final call,” is one of several held by PTI since his imprisonment in August. A similar rally in October also turned violent.
