Pakistani authorities on Friday used tear gas to disperse protesters who had gathered here at D-Chowk demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and to show solidarity with the judiciary.
The authorities also suspended the mobile and internet services in most parts of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi to quell the protests called by Khan.
The call for protest was given by the 71-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician who has been incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for more than a year.
He asked his followers to converge at the iconic venue in the capital to register a protest. It is the same venue where Khan held a sit-in for 126 days in 2014 against alleged rigging in the elections.
Talking to the media at D-Chowk, Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said that police have blocked all entry points to Islamabad and also arrested about 30 protesters.
“Proceedings are underway wherever there are attempts to hurt police or damage property. Till now, there have been over 30 arrests. We are updating the exact numbers. We have a clear message that we will not let anyone take the law into their own hands,” he said.
As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: workers led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur made their way to D-Chowk, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said no one would be allowed to violate the law and damage properties in the name of a protest.
Talking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi said some elements intend to march to Islamabad in the name of a political protest. “The federal government has taken all the necessary measures to ensure the security of the foreign guests in the capital,” he said.
The minister said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister should consider why and on whose incitement, he is going to organise a protest, adding that Gandapur should think that first he was a Pakistani and then a political worker.
Naqvi also regretted the inconvenience caused to the residents of Islamabad. The minister also visited D-Chowk with the Islamabad police chief and instructed personnel to maintain law and order.
Gandapur, undeterred by the appeals made by the government, was leading a caravan of vehicles moving towards Islamabad from Peshawar, but he faced hurdles as the roads were blocked. The convoy also included equipment to remove barriers and move ahead.
Gandapur and other PTI lawmakers have vowed to attend the D-Chowk rally, warning authorities of retaliating if they were stopped from entering the capital. The PTI posted a video of his caravan on its way to the capital.
As the evening descended, PTI workers tried to move towards the D-Chowk but they were stopped, leading to clashes. Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters who were throwing stones at the officials.
Despite restrictions, Khan’s two sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, reached the D-Chowk and were arrested by police. They were shifted to an undisclosed location, reported Geo TV.
Meanwhile, according to a post on Khan’s X account, he asked everyone to reach D-Chowk for a peaceful protest. He also urged those residing in Lahore to get ready for tomorrow’s planned gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan.
“This war is in its decisive phase, by the grace of Allah we are winning the battle for our true freedom,” the post said.
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