Islamabad Protests Turn Deadly as Security Forces Clash with Imran Khan Supporters

Massive protests demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan turned violent in Islamabad on Tuesday, leaving six dead, including four paramilitary soldiers. Thousands of supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party clashed with security forces after breaking through barricades made of shipping containers. Demonstrations escalated in the heavily guarded Red Zone, home to Pakistan’s parliament, key government offices, and foreign embassies.

Authorities used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse protesters, who vowed to continue their sit-in until Khan is released. Over 4,000 demonstrators have been arrested since November 22, with travel in and out of the capital paralyzed due to blockades. Schools remain closed, and mobile and internet services are suspended in several regions to disrupt protest coordination.

From his jail cell, Khan issued a defiant call to his supporters, urging them to “fight till the end” and intensify their demonstrations. Marches originating from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and other provinces have converged on Islamabad, with PTI accusing the government of rigging general elections earlier this year and demanding its resignation.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the deaths of four security personnel and accused PTI of inciting violence and using children as human shields. He alleged that Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, played a role in orchestrating the unrest. Naqvi warned that security forces would use live fire if protesters attacked first and claimed PTI rejected a government offer to demonstrate peacefully outside the city.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the protests, labeling PTI as an “anarchist group” targeting law enforcement. His government has ruled out negotiations, stating that only the courts can decide Khan’s fate.

Khan, ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote, has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted in a graft case. PTI and its supporters argue the charges are politically motivated. The protests highlight the deepening political crisis in Pakistan, with growing discontent over governance and escalating violence further destabilizing the nation.

If you value our journalism…

TMJ News is committed to remaining an independent, reader-funded news platform. A small donation from our valuable readers like you keeps us running so that we can keep our reporting open to all! We’ve launched a fundraising campaign to raise the $10,000 we need to meet our publishing costs this year, and it’d mean the world to us if you’d make a monthly or one-time donation to help. If you value what we publish and agree that our world needs alternative voices like ours in the media, please give what you can today.