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26-11-2024
By SJA Jafri + Bureau Report
ISLAMABAD: A convoy of protesters demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan has entered Pakistan’s capital Islamabad
They are being tear gassed by armed forces as they close in on the city centre’s “red zone” that houses key government buildings
The march is in response to a “final” protest call made by Khan to his supporters, where he also called on them to remain in the capital until the government addresses their demands
Khan is serving a three-year jail term for corruption, a charge he denies
Authorities have put Islamabad under lockdown, blocking highways and suspending mobile and internet services in certain areas
The march, which began on Sunday, has seen police arresting hundreds of protesters
Protesters have reached D Chowk, a large square in the heart of Islamabad’s government district, and their final destination.
They had earlier said they would not leave the area until their requests, which include the release of ex-PM Imran Khan, are met.
As media has been reporting, protesters are hoping to reach Democracy Chowk or D Chowk in central Islamabad.
Over the last hour or so, reporters on the ground has observed the paramilitary force FC preparing to move onto D Chowk, a key point in central Islamabad near government buildings, the Supreme Court and parliament.
The protesters’ goal is to reach D Chowk, a key point in central Islamabad. Once there, they are expected to make a “final call” for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from jail.
Four security officers were killed after being run over by a speeding vehicle on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad, according to police.
It is not clear who was driving the vehicle, but the country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appeared to blame the protesters, saying “attacks on police and [security] personnel under the guise of so-called peaceful protests are condemnable”. He added that there was a “chaotic group deliberately targeting law enforcement agencies”.
The country’s interior minister attributed the attacks to a group of “miscreants”, but did not identify them further.
A PTI leader has told media that Imran Khan’s supporters are on Faisal Avenue, about six kilometres away from D Chowk.
D Chowk is a key point in central Islamabad near government buildings, the Supreme Court and parliament.
While a drive to D Chowk on a regular day can take less than 10 minutes, today’s protesters will need to navigate their way through barricades and authorities firing tear gas shells at them.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has repeatedly warned that protesters who reach D Chowk will be punished.
Security forces have fired tear gas shells to stop Imran Khan’s supporters from advancing towards central Islamabad.
As tensions rise in the capital, Pakistan’s authorities have deployed the army to parts of the capital under Article 245 of the Constitution, Islamabad official Irfan Memon confirmed media.
The article states that the armed forces, upon the federal government’s orders, should defend Pakistan against external aggression or in aid of civil power. It also states that government directives issued under the law cannot be challenged in any court.
Article 245 was previously invoked by Imran Khan’s government during the pandemic to implement lockdowns.
Authorities told media that several security personnel have been killed and more than 100 injured as a result of the PTI protest.
Convoy from Balochistan now kilometres away from Islamabad
A convoy of protesters from the south-western province of Balochistan, which has travelled for four days and includes women and children, is near Islamabad.
Among them is Zulekha Aziz Mandokhail who says that they are waiting for the main convoy led by Ali Amin Gandapur to arrive.
The convoys from Punjab, Balochistan, and Ali Amin Gandapur’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are then expected to reach Islamabad together.
Zulekha Aziz Mandokhail said that they had left for Islamabad on 22 November but were stopped and forced by police to disembark from their vehicles. Some children fell ill along the way and had to receive medical attention, she said.
Besides bringing tea leaves and dried fruits for their journey, the supporters also brought masks and large fans with them to repel tear gas.
The convoy is still about 40km away from its intended destination, D-Chowk.
