Pakistani security forces have dispersed supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Islamabad following a major overnight crackdown, ending a four-day lockdown of the capital, Al Jazeera reports.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced Wednesday that roads linking Islamabad to the rest of the country have been reopened, and the city is now clear of protesters.
The operation, which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur described as involving shootings and mass arrests, resulted in conflicting casualty reports. Gandapur, a close aide to Khan, claimed hundreds were shot and thousands arrested. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party separately alleged eight deaths, a figure the government denies. Police initially reported that no lethal weapons were used and some 1,000 protesters were arrested.
City workers are now clearing debris and removing shipping containers used to barricade roads leading into Islamabad, halting the protest march. The protest, organized by the PTI, aimed to pressure the government to release Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023 on more than 150 charges. Khan maintains these charges are politically motivated to obstruct his potential return to power in upcoming elections.
The army assumed control of D-Chowk, a major square in Islamabad’s Red Zone, late Tuesday. Following the crackdown, the PTI announced a temporary suspension of the protests, according to Geo News.
Over 4,000 Khan supporters have been arrested since Friday, and mobile and internet services were temporarily suspended in some areas, but have since been restored. The crackdown highlights the escalating tensions between the government and Khan’s supporters following his imprisonment. The government maintains the charges against Khan are legitimate, while Khan and his supporters view them as a political maneuver to stifle opposition.
