On Tuesday, protests in Islamabad demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan escalated into violence, resulting in the deaths of four paramilitary Rangers. Over ten thousand demonstrators, armed with sticks and slingshots, confronted police just kilometers from the government enclave they aimed to occupy.
Khan has been barred from the upcoming February elections amid a series of legal challenges he claims are politically motivated. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), continues to rally supporters despite government crackdowns, with this demonstration marking the largest since his incarceration in August 2023.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reported that protesters were responsible for the fatalities, asserting that these actions reflected extremism rather than a peaceful call for change. The government also confirmed the death of a police officer and multiple injuries among law enforcement.
The capital has been under lockdown, with thousands of police deployed and mobile internet services disrupted. Authorities accused protesters of attempting to disrupt a state visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Despite a ban on public gatherings, PTI supporters traveled from their strongholds to join the protests.
Khan, a former cricket star, remains the focus of the unrest, with demands for his release and protests against alleged electoral manipulation. The government has faced criticism for its heavy-handed tactics, while the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the restrictions on access to the capital as punitive toward ordinary citizens.
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