Islamabad, November 27, 2024 – A midnight crackdown by security forces in Islamabad led to the evacuation of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan from D-Chowk and its surrounding business district, ending their protest. Police arrested around 450 demonstrators, with further arrests expected. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), condemned the action as a “massacre” by the military regime, accusing security forces of firing live rounds with deadly intent.
The protest, which began as a march to Islamabad, escalated on Tuesday with clashes between PTI supporters and law enforcement, resulting in the deaths of six security personnel. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Ali Amin Gandapur led the march but reportedly fled the scene as security forces cleared the area. PTI claimed the crackdown was a violent assault on protesters, while government officials accused the protestors of planning to attack government buildings.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the protest had been cleared and announced that schools and roads would reopen by morning. He also assured the public that mobile and internet services would be restored. Meanwhile, PTI condemned the violence and called it an attack on democracy, alleging hundreds of fatalities and numerous injuries.
Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023, had called for nationwide protests against what he described as a “stolen mandate.” The crackdown followed his “final call” for action, intensifying political tensions in the country.
