Pakistan: Imran Khan supporters retreat after late-night crackdown in Islamabad

The dayslong siege of Pakistani capital Islamabad by supporters of former premier Imran Khan ended in their retreat in the early hours of Wednesday.

Up to six people, including a policeman and three paramilitary personnel, were killed in clashes between Khan’s supporters from his party Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and security forces personnel. Even though the army was deployed in Islamabad with ‘shoot at sight’ orders, Khan’s supporters reached the ‘D-Chowk’ in the Red Zone area of the capital.

The ‘D-Chowk’ is a major public square in Islamabad which is just across the road from the Pakistani parliament. It is the junction of Jinnah Avenue and Constitution Avenue. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Supreme Court, and key ministries like the foreign ministry are also located in the area.

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As protesters reached within a stone throw of the heart of the Pakistani government’s seat, the security forces and protesters fought pitched battles through the day. Around 8 pm on Tuesday, the police and Frontier Constabulary made the final push to drive the protestors from the D-Chowk and the nearly Express Chowk, according to Dawn.

In the eviction and the subsequent crackdown, hundreds of Khan’s supporters are said to have been arrested. The Dawn reported that up to 450 were arrested.

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The protests were led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. As authorities mounted a crackdown on PTI protestors, the two leaders escaped the area. Gandapur has been reported to have told PTI supporters “to go home, have dinner and return tomorrow”.

While exact whereabouts of Bibi and Gandapur are not known, Information Minister Ata Tarar said they were on their way to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via Haripur.

The protestors said the container on which they were sitting to fire as they retreated — the Pakistani authorities had installed several shipping containers in and around Islamabad to prevent Khan’s supporters from marching.

After the Red Zone was cleared, Tarar told the media the PTI supporters had planned to attack the parliament complex.

“This is why they set the main container ablaze,” said Tarar, adding they wanted to “destroy documents” in the attack.

The newspaper reported that at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and another health facility as confirming the deaths of at least of two civilians and injuries to at least 73 persons, including security personnel and civilians.

The violence began earlier on Tuesday as advancing protestors started to set the containers on fire and clashed with paramilitary personnel. The police joined the paramilitary personnel in attempts to disperse the marching protests, but they kept returning for recurring clashes with security personnel.

The Dawn reported that protesters kept moving forward despite roadblocks, including shipping containers, blocking the way, which they removed at several locations, such as on Srinagar Highway, including Sector G-14, Sector G-10, Peshawar Mor, Faisal Avenue, Zero Point, and Khyber Chowk.

As the PTI leaders retreated after three days of protests in the early hours of Wednesday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi mocked Bibi and Gandapur. He said that they were “fleeing till as of now”.

“They ran away in front of you, not one or two or three but thousands of people ran away,” said Naqvi from D-Chowk, as per Express Tribune.

Naqvi further said, “Mobile and internet services will be restored by morning. You will find all roads in working condition by morning.”

Even though Khan has been out of power for more than two years, he remains vastly influential across Pakistan. He has been waging a yearslong movement against other political parties and the military-intelligence establishment, which he has alleged to be united in opposition to him. Since his ouster in a trust vote in early 2022, he has alleged that that the other political parties, including the PPP and PML-N, and the military-intelligence establishment removed him in conspiracy also involving the United States.

Since his ouster as premier, Khan has spent much of his time in jail and has over 100 cases against him. He and his party have been subjected to various crackdowns, including a ban from contesting elections. Yet Khan’s PTI has repeatedly mounted widespread protests, such as the one seen this week.

Last week, in unprecedented protests in reaction to his Khan’s arrest, PTI supporters stormed the houses of Pakistani military commanders and also attacked the military headquarters.