ISLAMABAD: Thousands of protesters demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan descended on Pakistan’s heavily fortified capital Islamabad on Tuesday amid heavy tear gas and rubber bullets by security forces, even as the government issued a section 245 was also implemented. The constitution, which allows a civilian government to call out the military to help enforce law and order.
At least four security personnel and two civilians were killed in overnight clashes between security forces and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters. Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that the miscreants killed three Rangers (paramilitary force) soldiers and a police constable. The Imran-Khan-led PTI denied the allegations and said security officials were run over by police and Rangers vehicles that were speeding away from the protesters.
“Under Article 245, the Pakistani Army has been called in and orders have been issued to deal strictly with the miscreants,” state-run Radio Pakistan reported. “Explicit orders have also been issued to shoot at sight miscreants and miscreants,” it said.
On Tuesday, PTI workers, many of them brandishing slingshots and sticks, encountered security personnel when they attempted to move towards D-Chowk (Democracy Chowk), a central square in front of Parliament.
Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi was leading the protest and was accompanied by Ali Amin Gandapur, the CM of north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the PTI is in power. On reaching Islamabad, Bibi swore on top of a container truck: “I promise I will be the last woman here, I will not leave D-Chowk without him (Imran). You also promise me that you will not leave until Khan comes out. If anyone tells you otherwise, it is a lie.”
Gandapur urged the protesters to camp at D-Chowk and not to proceed further into the red zone containing important places including diplomatic enclaves.
On Sunday, convoys of protesters from different parts of the country started moving towards Islamabad. Khan’s wife was leading the main convoy from Peshawar, the party’s stronghold. Islamabad has been under security lockdown since Sunday, with authorities closing all schools in the capital and nearby Rawalpindi city. Mobile and internet services have also been partially suspended in both the cities.
All roads and highways from nearby cities to the federal capital, as well as all routes connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi, have been closed since last weekend.
PTI is protesting for the release of political prisoners including Khan. Its second demand is to reverse the 26th constitutional amendment passed by Parliament in October. This law has fundamentally changed the judiciary by setting a fixed tenure of three years for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who will now be selected by a parliamentary committee. It also weakened the powers of the apex court, with constitutional matters and cases involving fundamental rights being heard by constitutional benches formed by panels dominated by government representatives. PTI’s last demand is the return of the allegedly stolen February 8 general election mandate.