6 dead as protests erupt in Pakistan against jailed former PM Imran Khan

Six people were killed in clashes on Tuesday between supporters of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and security forces in Islamabad. Thousands of security personnel were deployed in central Islamabad to control the protests. More than 4,000 of Khan's supporters were arrested, along with the government. also suspending mobile and internet services, blocking major travel routes and banning gatherings to quell unrest.

Supporters demanding the release of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through a ring of shipping containers blocking the capital on Tuesday and fought security forces despite the government threatening to respond with gunfire. Six people died in the violence.

Thousands of security forces have flocked to central Islamabad to try to quell protests in support of Khan that have gripped the capital and surrounding areas since Sunday. The popular politician has been in prison for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated.

Authorities say only the courts can order the release of 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.

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On Tuesday, the Pakistani military took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the red zone of downtown Islamabad, which houses key government buildings and where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Paramilitary rangers and police were also present and some fired warning shots into the air.

Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, November 26, 2024. Supporters seeking to free Khan broke through a ring of containers on Tuesday expedition blockading the capital. and fought security forces despite the government's threat to respond with gunfire. Six people died in the violence. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)

Yet Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, who is leading the protests, moved slowly toward the square in a heavily guarded convoy, surrounded by supporters.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi threatened that security forces would respond with live fire if protesters fired at them.

“We have now allowed the police to take any decision based on the situation,” Naqvi said later during his visit to the square.

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Protester Shahzor Ali said people were on the streets because Khan had called them. “We will stay here until Khan is among us. He will decide what to do next,” Ali said.

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

Protester Fareeda Bibi, who is not related to Khan's wife, said people had suffered a lot over the past two years.

“We have really suffered in the last two years, whether economically, politically or socially. We have been ruined. I have never seen such a Pakistan in my life,” she said.

Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, November 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)

Police have so far used tear gas to try to disperse the crowds. The dead included four members of the security services and a civilian who were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street on Tuesday night. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack, saying an “anarchist group” was deliberately targeting law enforcement. No responsibility was claimed for the ramming. A police officer died separately.

Many people were also injured, including journalists attacked by demonstrators. Dozens of Khan's supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for The Associated Press and took his camera. He suffered a head injury and was treated in hospital.

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Pakistani media mostly stopped filming and photographing the rally, focusing instead on security measures and the city's deserted streets.

On Tuesday afternoon, new waves of protesters marched unopposed to their final destination in the red zone. Most of the protesters carried the flag of Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, around their shoulders or wore its tricolors on accessories.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is pictured at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on October 9, 2019 in Beijing, China. (Parker Song-Pool/Getty Images)

Naqvi said Khan's party had rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city.

Information Minister Atta Tarar warned that there would be a severe government response to the violence.

He said the government did not want Bushra Bibi to achieve its goal of freeing Khan. “She wants the bodies to fall to the ground. She wants the blood to be shed,” he said.

In a bid to thwart the unrest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in parts of the country. Messaging platforms were also experiencing serious disruptions in the capital.

Khan's party relies heavily on social media to demand Khan's release and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN.

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On Thursday, a court banned gatherings in the capital and Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become almost impossible due to shipping containers blocking the roads. All educational establishments remain closed.

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