Protesters Cleared from Islamabad’s City Centre After Security Crackdown
Protest Demands Release of Jailed Ex-PM Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD: Protesters who marched on the Pakistan capital to demand the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan were cleared from the city centre on Wednesday after a sweeping security crackdown.
Background
Khan has been jailed since August 2023, sidelined by dozens of legal cases he claims were confected to prevent his comeback in elections this year marred by rigging allegations. Since the February vote, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has defied a government crackdown with regular rallies, but Tuesday’s gathering was by far the largest to grip the capital since the poll.
Protest Details
More than 10,000 protesters had surged in starting at the weekend, defying a ban on public gatherings and a city lockdown to skirmish with 20,000 security forces enlisted to turn them back. The crowds aimed to occupy a public square outside parliament and the prime minister’s house. Overnight, security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters wielding sticks and slingshots, as roadblocks were set ablaze.
Party Lodestar
Khan, the charismatic 72-year-old former cricket star who served as premier from 2018 to 2022, is the lodestar of PTI. In his absence, the protests were led partially by his wife Bushra Bibi, who was also jailed this year but released last month.
Government Response
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government has come under increasing criticism for deploying heavy-handed measures to quash the protests. Amnesty International said: "as protesters enter the capital, law enforcement officials have used unlawful and excessive force."
Ousted from Power
Khan was ousted by a no-confidence vote after falling out with the kingmaking military establishment, which analysts say engineers the rise and fall of Pakistan’s politicians. However, as opposition leader, he led an unprecedented campaign of defiance, with PTI street protests boiling over into unrest that the government cited as the reason for its crackdown. PTI won more seats than any other party in this year’s election, but a coalition of parties considered more pliable to military influence shut them out of power.
Conclusion
The protest, which was the largest to hit the capital since the election, has highlighted the deep divisions in Pakistani politics and the ongoing power struggle between the government and the opposition. The government’s heavy-handed response has been met with widespread criticism, with many calling for a more peaceful resolution to the crisis.
FAQs
- What was the purpose of the protest?
The protest was held to demand the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. - How many protesters were involved in the protest?
More than 10,000 protesters were involved in the protest. - What was the response of the government to the protest?
The government deployed 20,000 security forces to quash the protest, resulting in the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and other forms of force. - Who led the protest in Imran Khan’s absence?
His wife, Bushra Bibi, led the protest in his absence.