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Pakistan govt threatens firing on Imran Khan supporters as lockdown is breached

Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads.

Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, burn bushes to reduce the impact of tear gas shells fired by police officers to disperse them during a rally demanding Khan's release, at a motorway in Ghazi in Attock district, Pakistan. (AP)

Supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with police in the capital on Tuesday after breaking through barricades of shipping containers designed to lock down the city. The unrest escalated as police used tear gas to disperse crowds, and at least one person was reported dead, with scores injured, including journalists.

The protest, organised by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, called for his release from prison, where he has been held since August 2023 following a conviction in a corruption case. Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, faces more than 150 criminal cases, which his supporters claim are politically motivated.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi issued a stern warning to demonstrators, threatening to respond with live ammunition if protesters fired at law enforcement. “If they again fire bullets, the bullet will be responded with the bullet,” he said shortly after midnight, as reported by Associated Press (AP).

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Also read | Imran Khan supporters march towards Islamabad amid heavy police crackdown in Pakistan

Journalists covering the protest were also targeted. A videographer working for The Associated Press was beaten by Khan supporters, sustaining head injuries, and his camera was destroyed. He is currently receiving treatment in hospital.

The PTI rally, despite a court ban on protests in the capital, saw thousands of supporters converge approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses key government buildings. Authorities had proposed alternative rally locations outside the city, but the offer was rejected by PTI.

Since Friday, over 4,000 PTI supporters have been arrested in an effort to thwart the protest. Mobile and internet services have been suspended in parts of the country, while educational institutions in the capital remain closed. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has been severely disrupted due to roadblocks created by shipping containers.

Also read | Pakistan strikes seven-day ceasefire deal between warring sectarian groups

The violence coincides with an official visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, adding to the tension. Naqvi reiterated the government’s stance, stating that only the courts have the authority to release Khan.

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Khan remains a popular figure despite his imprisonment and numerous convictions, with PTI heavily relying on social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to organise rallies and demand his release. However, disruptions of mobile internet and messaging services have hindered their communications.

The clashes reflect the deepening political divide in Pakistan as Khan’s supporters press for his freedom, defying government crackdowns and court orders.

(With inputs from AP)

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