Islamabad descended into chaos as protests led by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan escalated into violent clashes with security forces. Five security personnel were killed, including four rangers who were run over by protesters, while dozens, including police officers, sustained injuries. The unrest, which began on Sunday, continued through Tuesday.
The protest march, spearheaded by Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, began in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday and reached Islamabad by Monday evening. Demonstrators vowed to advance to the high-security D-Chowk, situated near key government buildings, despite police barricades and warnings from authorities. Violent confrontations ensued as protesters removed roadblocks using heavy machinery, torched vehicles, and clashed with law enforcement.
One police officer was fatally shot, while 119 others were injured in Islamabad and across Punjab province. Two officers remain in critical condition. Protesters, in turn, alleged injuries among their ranks. The chaos extended to the Srinagar Highway, where miscreants ran their vehicle over security personnel, killing four rangers and injuring five others.
Pro-Imran Khan Protests
The occupied-government had earlier proposed a compromise, urging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to hold their protest at an alternate location. However, Bushra Bibi rejected the offer, demanding that the march progress to D-Chowk as planned. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has since warned of severe consequences if protesters breach the high-security zone.
Imran Khan, who remains in Adiala Jail since his ousting through a no-confidence motion in 2022, has been a central figure in the ongoing political unrest. Facing over 200 cases, including convictions and ongoing trials, Khan has framed his legal battles as politically motivated. Despite his incarceration, Khan’s PTI party won the most seats in February’s general elections, contesting as independents after being denied an official election symbol.
The former premier has called for nationwide protests, denouncing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its allies for allegedly orchestrating a “stolen mandate”.