Jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s supporters, Islamabad Police clash as they demand Khan’s release

Thousands of supporters of Pakistan’s imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party participate in a rally demanding his release from prison where he has been held for more than a year after being sentenced in multiple cases, on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo)

But the country’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Khan in another case of Toshakhana which resulted in the extension of Khan’s stay in the jail.

Scenes Pakistanis have grown accustomed to in this #UndeclaredMartialLaw.

Heavy shelling by Islamabad police on peaceful Pakistanis gathered in massive numbers for Imran Khan & PTI’s rally in Islamabad.

Shameful, despicable, desperate, cowardly behavior by the illegitimate,… pic.twitter.com/x910kL7anC

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 8, 2024

In a post on X, PTI stated, “Heavy shelling by Islamabad police on peaceful Pakistanis gathered in massive numbers for Imran Khan & PTI’s rally in Islamabad. Shameful, despicable, desperate, cowardly behavior by the illegitimate, authoritarian regime, over & over again. These disgraceful, unlawful acts only strengthen the people’s resolve to fight for their ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’!”

PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan supported the rally and gave a speech in which he demanded an “immediate release” of the former PM and illustrated how PTI leaders were being “sidelined” by the government.

بدترین فسطائیت اور ظلم کے باوجود عوام کے حوصلے پست نہیں ہو سکے، وہ عمران خان کی ہر کال پر نکل کر بار بار اپنا فیصلہ سنا رہے ہیں!#خان_کی_کال_قوم_کی_للکار pic.twitter.com/hg4jDAb9Zo

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 8, 2024

“I never thought there would be a day that Imran Khan, who formed our party to save Pakistan, would be put in jail,” PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan said during the rally, as quoted by Dawn.

The party claimed that police allegedly opened fire on its members but according to Dawn, the video footage being shown on TV and social media showed the police firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

This protest was earlier scheduled to be held in July but it was postponed as the district administration didn’t give permission to hold the protest. The protest was rescheduled to August 22 but the administration plucked its NOC at the eleventh hour.