Six dead as Pakistani government threatens to shoot pro-Imran Khan protesters

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Pakistan's government has threatened to shoot supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as thousands defied a lockdown order to enter the capital Islamabad.

The death toll from the escalating violence rose to six, including a police officer, during the protest march to Parliament for a sit-in demanding the release of Mr Khan.

At least four members of the Rangers paramilitary unit, along with a civilian, were killed when a vehicle rammed into them on a street known as Srinagar Highway in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the deadly attacks on Tuesday, saying an anarchist group was deliberately targeting law enforcement, accusing supporters of Mr. Khan's party of attacking Mr. Khan's supporters. Pakistan cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed, he said.

Mr. Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) denied the involvement of the protesters and said many of them had instead helped the Rangers.

He added that the paramilitary Rangers fired live ammunition at its protesters in Islamabad, leading to the death of two people and injury to four others.

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Pakistani Rangers in riot gear stand guard to prevent an anti-government rally in Islamabad (REUTERS)

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Supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party throw stones as police fire tear gas to disperse them (AP)

Participants claim to have seen at least six people being shot, two of whom died instantly and four of whom were taken to hospital, the party reported on X.

The Associated Press said dozens of Mr. Khan's supporters beat their videographer who was covering the protest and took his camera. He suffered a head injury and was treated in hospital.

The government has imposed a strict lockdown on the capital over the past three days to prevent protesters from reaching the capital, with all major highways and roads blocked by shipping containers, concrete barricades and security personnel including mobile data is suspended in certain areas.

Images from the scene showed a huge wall of shipping containers erected to prevent protesters from entering the capital. Columns of security personnel in riot gear stood guard along the capital's main roads, preparing for a large turnout.

Videos also showed convoys of buses, cars and trucks carrying supporters of Mr Khan, who chanted slogans and played music, crossing the blockades with containers strewn on the ground.

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A supporter of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party prepares to throw stones (AP)

Mr Khan's supporters broke through the defense ring and clashed with police firing tear gas a few kilometers from the center of the capital, which is home to key government buildings as well as the Supreme Court.

Mr. Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and a key aide, Ali Amin Gandapur, who is the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, led the latest protest that arrived on Monday evening in the Islamabad suburbs.

Mr Khan's supporters marched to reach D Chowk, a key intersection in central Islamabad where protesters say they plan to stage a peaceful sit-in.

At a press conference after midnight, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi threatened protesters that police would retaliate with live fire if demonstrators fired weapons at them after announcing the death of a member of the forces of order.

“If they fire bullets again, the bullet will be answered with a bullet,” he said.

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Supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party gather to remove shipping containers to clear the way for their rally (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The Interior Ministry announced the deployment of the Pakistani army in Islamabad in accordance with Article 245 of the constitution, which authorizes the use of force in cases of internal security concerns, riots or natural disasters , reported Geo TV.

Usman Anwar, police chief of Punjab province, said at least 119 other people were injured and 22 police vehicles were set on fire in clashes just outside Islamabad and elsewhere in the Punjab province.

Two police officers were in critical condition, he said.

Mr. Khan has been imprisoned for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases. Despite this, he remains very popular, with his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, claiming that the accusations are politically motivated.

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Police officers fire tear gas to disperse Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supporters during a protest (AFP via Getty Images)

Authorities say only the courts can order the release of Mr Khan, who was ousted in 2022 by a vote of no confidence in Parliament. He has been incarcerated since his first conviction in a corruption case, in August 2023, and has been convicted in several cases.

Police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters, including activists, since Friday.

Separately, police have filed a case against Mr. Khan, his wife and hundreds of senior PTI leaders for violent protests, including under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

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