Pakistan | Six security officers killed as protest by Imran Khan's party turns violent

Four paramilitary personnel and two policemen have been killed and over 100 security personnel injured as the protest by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan turned violent, prompting the federal government to deploy the army in the national capital along with shoot-at-sight orders on Tuesday (November 26), state-run media said.

Pakistan deployed the army amid a tense stand-off with Khan's supporters from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pushing forward by removing hurdles on their way to Islamabad's D-Chowk venue as the government vowed to foil their attempt “even if a curfew needs to be imposed.”

Radio Pakistan said a vehicle rammed into Pakistan Rangers personnel killing four Rangers officials on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad late on Monday night (November 25). Five other Rangers’ personnel and several police officials too sustained severe injuries.

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Radio Pakistan also reported that two policemen were killed but didn't provide any details. According to Punjab police, one policeman was killed at Hakla interchange on Islamabad outskirts during clashes with the PTI protestors on Monday but it also did not give details about the second policeman.

Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said at a late-night media interaction, that more than one hundred security personnel, mostly from police, were injured and added, “One senior police officer (SP) was critically injured – he suffered a severe head injury - due to stone-pelting by protesters.”

PM Shehbaz Sharif condemns attack on Rangers

Strongly condemning the attack on Rangers and police personnel by protesters, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, gave directions to immediately identify those involved in the incident and ensure they are brought to justice.

“Attacks on police and Rangers, under the guise of a so-called peaceful protest, are condemnable,” he said, adding that the anarchist group seeks bloodshed and “Pakistan cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed. Bloodshed for nefarious political agenda is unacceptable and highly condemnable.”

Interior Minister Naqvi said the government had offered an alternative venue to the protestors to stage their activity at Sangjani in the suburbs of the capital and apparently Khan had also agreed to it.

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Despite permission given by Khan, “maybe there is a leadership above Imran Khan who has refused to accept this,” he claimed, and confirmed that talks were going on with the PTI to resolve the issue and that the PTI leaders were allowed to meet Khan twice on Monday to get his input.

Naqvi warned that “come what may, the PTI will not be allowed to stage a protest at D-Chowk and even hinted of imposing a curfew if needed.”

PTI accuses authorities of using violence

Meanwhile, the PTI accused the authorities of using violence in which several of its supporters have been injured. A PTI spokesman told BBC Urdu that at least two supporters have also been killed but it was not confirmed from other sources so far.

Khan, 72, the PTI founder, has been in jail since August 5, 2023, and had given the ‘final call’ for the protest to force the authorities to release all prisoners, including himself, and also restore the alleged stolen mandate or victory of his party in the February 8 elections as well as rescind last month's 26th constitutional amendment allowing the government more powers over the judiciary.

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Earlier on Sunday (November 24), led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, the PTI supporters began their journey from the militancy-hit province with a mission to make it to D-Chowk in the national capital but faced obstacles on the roads.

The D-Chowk, close to several important government buildings - the Presidency, the PM Office, the Parliament, and the Supreme Court - is a prime location in the national capital.

As the convoy entered the capital territory in the evening, Bushra Bibi said in a video message: “My brothers, as long as Imran is not with us, we will not end this march.”

Imran Khan in jail since last year

Khan has been implicated in dozens of cases since his government was dismissed through a no-confidence motion in 2022. He has been in Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since last year facing over 200 cases.

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His party won the largest number of seats in the February general elections despite contesting as independents as the party was denied an election symbol. The party founder has alleged that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partners, including the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), had “stolen the mandate” to grab power at the federal level.

(With agency inputs)