Islamabad’s Inspector General of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, revealed that 954 protesters have been arrested over the past three days in connection with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests. A significant portion of these arrests, 610, occurred on Tuesday alone. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of over 200 vehicles and 39 types of weapons, including Kalashnikovs and 12-bore guns, from protesters.
Rizvi highlighted the violence during the protests, with 71 people reported injured, including 52 law enforcement personnel. He noted that protesters had used large fans to blow tear gas back at security forces, escalating tensions. Despite the unrest, he assured the public that roads in and out of Islamabad were open and that routine activities had resumed without major disruption.
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Authorities also reported that PTI supporters had attacked journalists, prompting the relocation of media personnel. Fuel pumps were temporarily shut down due to fire risks. Rizvi emphasized that peaceful protests are a democratic right, but violence and attacks on security forces constitute terrorism, and will not be tolerated.
Normalcy Returns After PTI Ends Protest
Life in Islamabad returned to normal on Wednesday after the successful operation to disperse PTI protesters. Roads were cleared, and barricades were removed, allowing business and educational activities to resume. The capital, which had been disrupted by protests, is now seeing a calm atmosphere, with clean-up operations underway.
Key motorways have also reopened, including the Islamabad-Lahore motorway and the Lahore-Sialkot motorway, improving regional connectivity. The authorities have assured that all roadblocks will be cleared, and all remaining disruptions will be addressed.
