Army deployed in Islamabad amid protests by former Pakistan PM Imran Khans party

A tense situation prevailed in Islamabad amid army deployment when supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan marched to D-Chowk in the heart of the capital to register a symbolic victory.

In Islamabad and Lahore, clashes took place between Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and police officers.

In Lahore, party activists attempted to march towards the Minar-e-Pakistan grounds, calling the situation “do or die”.

Throughout the day, police prevented PTI workers and supporters from reaching D-Chowk in Islamabad by lobbing tear gas shells, but rain and the change in direction of the wind blew from the Smoke towards police officers helped protesters reach the venue later that evening.

However, as of around 9 p.m., it was unclear whether protesters would stay put or leave. The police returned to D-Chowk after the rain stopped.

Khan has been incarcerated in Rawalpindis Adiala Prison for over a year. Following its rally call, the PTI demanded Khan's release, independence of the judiciary and protested against rising inflation.

In Lahore, the party's acting president in Punjab, Hammad Azhar, said his party planned to celebrate Khan's birthday on Saturday and pass a resolution for Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom) at the Minar-e ground -Pakistan.

The Punjab government has so far arrested over 700 PTI workers in Lahore and elsewhere in two days, the party claimed.

Earlier in the day, Khan posted a long message on X and urged his supporters to go to D-Chowk in Islamabad for the protests and those from Punjab to join in Lahore.

I am so proud of all our people. Thank you for keeping the faith. You showed unwavering resilience and courage by coming out yesterday and overcoming incredible obstacles to continue moving towards D-Chowk, he said.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court on Saturday ordered the Pakistan government to stop all illegal protests in the capital during the duration of the SCO summit and allot a designated venue to Khan's party for the protest.

Life in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore was paralyzed for the second consecutive day with the suspension of mobile network services and blockade of main roads and entry points as part of measures taken to maintain law and order.

On Saturday, amid growing tensions, authorities called in the army here and in Lahore to prevent protest rallies by Khan's supporters.

The army would remain in Islamabad from October 5 to 17 to maintain law and order ahead of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, officials said.

Pakistan will host the SCO summit on October 15-16.

The army deployment in Islamabad came as PTI supporters led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur moved forward to reach D-Chowk in the national capital to stage the protest.

Gandapur, which failed to reach Islamabad on Friday, reached the outskirts of the capital on Saturday, then left the caravan and arrived at the spot with a few vehicles.

Amid conflicting reports on Gundapur's whereabouts, Muhammad Ali Saif, advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, told Geo News: From D-Chowk, he left for the house of the KP, where he had lunch and met some party leaders.

Then Rangers personnel arrived and the CM House was surrounded and all communication with him was lost, which is yet to be established, he said, adding that it is not clear neither if he is still in the KP House or if he has been transferred elsewhere; whether he was formally arrested or simply placed in police custody.

However, there has been no official confirmation of Gandapur's arrest.

Khan, the 72-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician, had refused to postpone the protest despite calls from the government.

Before the rally and especially since Friday, authorities took strict measures to prevent PTI supporters from entering Islamabad or going to D-Chowk.

All highways leading to the city remained blocked and passengers barred.

Authorities also imposed prohibitory orders, banning public gatherings, political assemblies and demonstrations in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, to prohibit any political gatherings or demonstrations. Metro bus services connecting the Twin Cities have also been suspended.

Police and paramilitary Rangers were deployed everywhere to arrest protesters.

Meanwhile, authorities cut off Lahore on Saturday from the rest of the country to prevent PTI supporters from holding a rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan.

The provincial government has also called on the Pakistani army to maintain law and order in the Punjab province, particularly in its capital, Lahore. Hundreds of containers have been placed in different areas of the city as well as at all entry and exit points.

A curfew-like situation existed around Minar-e-Pakistan, which is also closed to the general public for an indefinite period.

Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar told a press conference in Lahore that he would not tolerate the PTI's “anti-Pakistan” protest. He said PTI wants to sabotage the SCO summit, which the government will not allow.

Published – 06 October 2024 02:27 IST

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/army-deployed-in-islamabad-amid-protests-by-ex-pakistan-pm-imran-khans-party/article68721233.ece The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos