The Punjab government has decided to purchase 150,000 new tear gas shells to manage violent protests in various districts, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and others. The procurement process, expected to be completed soon, will be overseen by the logistics branch of the Punjab Inspector General (IG), with a budget allocation of Rs. 10 million.
The decision comes after requests from districts such as Lahore, Rawalpindi, Attock, and Gujranwala, where tear gas had been heavily used during the two-year-long protests by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Existing stocks were depleted during these protests, which often led to intense clashes between PTI supporters and the police.
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Tear gas had been frequently deployed during these protests, particularly in Rawalpindi, where PTI protests under Imran Khan’s leadership turned the city into a battleground. The heavy use of tear gas resulted in significant distress, with canisters falling into nearby homes and impacting residents, including women and children. Media personnel covering the protests were also affected by the chaos.
In another instance a month ago, a PTI convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, heading toward Islamabad for a protest, faced intense police action as it approached Rawalpindi. The protest was met with heavy tear gas shelling, and the situation escalated when PTI supporters set fire to a crane and a motorcycle at Chungi No. 26.
