The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in Islamabad concluded late Tuesday following a large-scale government operation to counter the demonstrators’ advance towards D-Chowk. The crackdown resulted in the senior PTI leadership retreating from the scene.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar confirmed that law enforcement agencies dispersed the protesters, who later fled towards Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Reports suggested that K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, had reached K-P.
Read more: PTI Announces Sit-In at D-Chowk as Gandapur Vows Indefinite Protest
“The area has been cleared, and the protest is over,” Naqvi announced, adding that Gandapur and Bushra Bibi had fled. Tarar echoed this, emphasizing that life in the capital would return to normal by Wednesday.
The late-night operation resulted in the arrest of hundreds of PTI workers. Amid heavy shelling, Bushra Bibi and Gandapur reportedly fled the scene in a car. The demonstration had gained momentum earlier in the day when protesters, led by Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, broke through barriers to reach the edge of D-Chowk during their “final call” for the release of jailed PTI leader Imran Khan.
The day began with clashes between protesters and law enforcement, as demonstrators removed containers, resisted security forces, and allegedly returned tear gas fire. Video footage showing protesters atop containers near Parliament embarrassed the government, but officials refrained from an immediate crackdown. By evening, the Army, deployed with shoot-on-sight orders, intervened to push back protesters.
Before retreating, Bushra Bibi addressed the crowd, urging them to remain steadfast in their demand for Imran Khan’s release. Her unexpected participation energized the protestors and overshadowed Gandapur’s leadership. At one point, she directed Gandapur to lead the march from the front.
However, the protesters’ momentum was short-lived. Security forces intensified their operation after nightfall, plunging the area into darkness before launching a full-scale crackdown. By midnight, the authorities had cleared D-Chowk, arresting dozens of protesters. PTI leadership was notably absent during the operation, and special teams were reportedly formed to apprehend key party figures.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram refrained from confirming the protest’s conclusion, stating the party was still assessing the situation and gathering information. Meanwhile, Tarar mocked the protest’s outcome, calling it a “missed call” and highlighting the chaos left behind by retreating demonstrators.
Reports indicated that over 450 protesters were arrested, and the government pledged to restore normalcy by Wednesday. PTI’s demands, issued on November 13, included the release of Imran Khan, restoration of democracy, reversal of the 26th constitutional amendment, and recovery of their alleged stolen mandate in the 2024 elections.
