ISLAMABAD: Thousands of loyalists of Imran Khan, the incarcerated ex-prime minister and founding chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on Tuesday defied the restrictions imposed by the government and finally made their way to D-Chowk locality of Islamabad.
Amid intense teargas shelling, rubber bullet firing, pelting of stones and alleged straight firing by the police, the protesters including men, women and children from all over the country reached the Jinnah Avenue under the leadership of Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
After reaching D-Chowk, a roundabout in front of the fortified red-zone area, the protesters reiterated their three demands including release of Imran Khan without any further delay; release of all political prisoners of the party; abolishment of the 26th constitutional amendment and return of “stolen mandate”.
Exclusively talking to Business Recorder from an undisclosed location later in the night, deputy speaker KP provincial assembly Surriya Bibi claimed that at least 21 party workers have lost their lives as a result of direct firing by Rangers and police.
She said that dozens of other workers sustained injuries and hospitalised, several of them are fighting for their lives and added, “The state brutality cannot deter us to back off and the only way for us to leave from here is to take our leader (Imran Khan) with us or to die and be buried there.” As the troops have taken over the control of the red-zone, the personnel and the protesters faced each other at D-Chowk.
Some snipers were seen deployed at the rooftops of high-rise building alongside the D-Chowk and Jinnah Avenue, allegedly targeting protesters. However, the unarmed political workers stood their ground, chanting slogans in response to every bullet fired by the police, and vowed they were not going to return unless their demands are met.
The Blue Area where the protesters started the sit-in, plunged into complete darkness after electricity was disrupted by the government amid the rumours of an all-out operation against the protesters. But some government sources told Business Recorder that keeping in view the huge size of the crowd, any operation is quite unlikely in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Separately, Insaf Doctors’ Forum (IDF) appealed to the masses to donate blood for the injured belonging to both the PTI and the law enforcement agencies.
The party appealed to the residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to provide food, water, medicine, blankets/ quilts, mattresses; etc., to the protesters, who have been left with no option but stay under the open sky as hotel, shops and medical stores remained shut.
Meanwhile, the protesters are keeping a close eye on Gandapur due to his mysterious disappearances in the past. A footage which went viral on social media shows the protesters telling the chief minister not to move and stay besides Bushra Bibi unless all their demands are met. Gandapur assured the protesters that he is not going anywhere and will stay at the protest venue till the party’s three demands are met.
In a brief address to the crowd, Bushra Bibi vowed to be the last woman standing at D-Chowk and said she would not leave without Imran. She lamented Imran’s treatment in both Attock and Adiala jails, questioning how an ex-premier could be treated the way he had been. “Khan is standing because of you and will continue standing for you, and you must promise that until Khan is with us, you will not leave D-Chowk. I promise that I will be the last woman here; I will not leave D-Chowk without him. If anyone tells you otherwise, it is a lie,” she said to cheers from the crowd.
“Muslims don’t hit other Muslims, so then why are you shelling us,” she reacted to heavy teargas shelling by the police.
Separately, following reports of heavy teargas shelling at protesters, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan called upon the government to “refrain from firing at innocent people”. “I called upon the government to refrain from firing at innocent people,” Gohar said on X.
“I appeal (to) all PTI’s workers and supporters to remain peaceful in their struggle. I want to tell you all that we are very much hopeful of early release of Imran Khan.”
Reuters adds: At least six people, including four paramilitary soldiers, were killed on Tuesday during clashes near parliament between security forces and protesters who are demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), said two protesters had also been killed and 30 injured in the clashes, the worst political violence seen in months in the South Asian nation of 241 million people.
One of the protesters was shot dead and the other was run over by a vehicle, Bukhari said.
“It is not a peaceful protest. It is extremism,” Sharif said in a statement, aimed at achieving “evil political designs”.
Amnesty International said the government must fully protect the rights of protesters and immediately rescind “shoot-on-sight” orders that it said gave undue and excessive powers to the military.
In a post on X from jail, Khan, 72, said his message to his supporters was to fight till the end.
“We will not back down until our demands are met,” he said, accusing security forces of firing on peaceful party workers.
“All protesting Pakistanis stay peaceful, united and stand firm until our demands are met - this is the struggle for Pakistan’s survival and true freedom”, he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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