ISLAMABAD, Oct 5 (Reuters) — Over 80 police personnel were injured in violent confrontations with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a march near Islamabad, as confirmed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday. The demonstration, spearheaded by the chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), remains dominant, aimed to gather in the capital to demand Khan’s release and protest against the ruling coalition.
Naqvi reported that the convoy leading the march fired upon police and continuously deployed tear gas against law enforcement. The clashes erupted just outside the city during an anti-government rally on Friday.
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In response to the protests, authorities sealed off Islamabad and blocked cellphone services to prevent large gatherings. The capital is on high alert due to a series of diplomatic events scheduled in the coming weeks, including a visit from India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Naqvi stated that while the convoy was heavily armed, police had been ordered not to carry weapons to avoid further escalation. In addition, the army has been deployed to bolster security in Islamabad.
The protesters intend to gather in the city’s red zone, which contains the parliament and a fortified area of foreign embassies. The PTI has denied any involvement in violence, asserting that they are committed to holding a peaceful assembly.
Naqvi had previously urged the PTI to postpone their gatherings until after key diplomatic events, including a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting scheduled for October 15-16, which will host delegations from China, Russia, and India.
He further indicated that authorities had received intelligence suggesting that the protesters planned to disrupt the SCO conference to attract attention, warning, “We can’t allow this. I will say to them again, to not cross more red lines – don’t make us take extreme steps.”
In addition to the Islamabad protest, the PTI is also organizing a gathering in Lahore, where significant road lockdowns are in effect.
