Pakistan violence: 6 killed as Imran Khan’s supporters march to Islamabad, clash with police

The situation in Pakistan’s Islamabad is escalating quickly as Imran Khan’s supporters have entered the city, demanding his release. Protesters are pushing forward, breaking through multiple security barricades established by the government. Violent confrontations have erupted between members of Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and security forces. These clashes have claimed the lives of six security personnel and left many others injured.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held the protesters responsible for the deaths of soldiers, accusing them of deliberately ramming vehicles into security personnel. “This is not a peaceful protest; it is extremism,” Sharif stated, asserting that the demonstrations are driven by “evil political designs.” He added that such violent actions are pushing law enforcement agencies to the “limits of restraint.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Zulfikar Bukhari, claimed that two protesters had also been killed during the clashes, with 30 others injured. According to Bukhari, one protester was shot dead, while the other was struck by a vehicle. However, this information could not be independently verified by India.com.
Security forces initiate crackdown against PTI protestors in Islamabad

The Islamabad police, along with Pakistan Rangers, have launched a massive crackdown on PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) protesters in and around the D-Chowk area, arresting over 400 party workers and dispersing demonstrators. The operation has forced many protesters to flee into surrounding residential areas, prompting security forces to conduct search operations to apprehend PTI workers.
The protests, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, wife of Imran Khan, saw demonstrators storm into Islamabad, rejecting government offers and continuing their march toward the announced destination, D-Chowk.
Tuesday witnessed violent clashes as security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to deter the protesters. Despite repeated warnings, PTI supporters managed to advance and came within less than a kilometer of D-Chowk. Some even reached the area, celebrating their progress and mocking the security forces for their inability to block the march.
However, following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s directive to the Islamabad Inspector General of Police to handle the situation as necessary, a forceful crackdown was initiated. Islamabad police and Rangers employed full measures to push the protesters back, clearing them out of Jinnah Avenue and the Blue Area.
As per details, at least 400 protestors have been already arrested, and more arrests are being made.
The operation forced many protestors to flee into the surrounding areas, prompting the security forces to cut electricity in the surrounding areas, call on the people to stay indoors and keep their homes locked, and initiate a search operation against PTI protestors.