Supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have gathered for an anti-government rally. Photo: Reuters
On Tuesday, fresh clashes erupted between security forces and thousands of supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who marched towards the capital, Islamabad, demanding his release from jail, according to AFP.
AFP staff witnessed police and paramilitary forces exchanging tear gas with protesters. Thousands of demonstrators, calling for the release of Pakistan's jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan, defied roadblocks and tear gas to reach the gates of the nation's capital on Tuesday.
The government reported that one police officer had been killed and nine were critically injured over two days of clashes with demonstrators as they approached Islamabad. Khan was disqualified from participating in February's elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging. He has been sidelined by numerous legal cases, which he claims were fabricated to prevent his return to power.
His party, PTI, has continued to hold regular demonstrations despite a government crackdown, aiming to occupy public spaces in Islamabad and other major cities. The capital has been under lockdown since late Saturday, with mobile internet services sporadically cut off and over 20,000 police officers deployed, many equipped with riot shields and batons.
Last week, the Islamabad city administration imposed a two-month ban on public gatherings. However, PTI convoys from their strongholds in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the populous Punjab province managed to remove roadblocks made of stacked shipping containers.
In the early hours of Tuesday, protesters clashed with police who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a western motorway entry to Islamabad. "We are deeply frustrated with the government; they do not know how to function," said 56-year-old protester Kalat Khan to AFP. "The treatment we are receiving is unjust and cruel."
The government cited "security concerns" for the mobile internet outages, while schools and universities in Islamabad were ordered to close on Monday and Tuesday. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that "those who come here will be arrested" at D-Chowk, the public square outside Islamabad's government buildings, which PTI aims to occupy.
PTI's primary demand is the release of Khan, the 72-year-old former cricket star who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022 and is the central figure of their party. They are also protesting alleged tampering in the February elections and a recent constitutional amendment that gives the government more control over the courts, where Khan is entangled in numerous cases.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government has faced increasing criticism for its heavy-handed measures to suppress PTI's protests. An editorial in the English-language Dawn newspaper questioned whether the Islamabad Police were preparing for war due to the scale of their preparations.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan criticized the blocking of access to the capital, with motorway and highway closures across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that it effectively penalized ordinary citizens. The US State Department called for protesters to avoid violence and urged authorities to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, ensuring respect for Pakistan's laws and constitution.
Khan was removed from office by a no-confidence vote after a falling out with the military establishment, which analysts believe influences the rise and fall of Pakistan's politicians. As an opposition leader, he led an unprecedented campaign of defiance, with PTI street protests escalating into unrest that the government used as justification for its crackdown.
PTI won more seats than any other party in this year's election, but a coalition of parties considered more aligned with military interests excluded them from power. Khan has been in jail since August 2023, facing a series of legal accusations ranging from illegal marriage to corruption and inciting riots.
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