Pakistan’s Peshawar As supporters of imprisoned former leader Imran Khan marched into the capital of Pakistan on Monday to demand his release, the city was placed under lockdown. Following days of deadly confrontations between opposing sectarian factions, this is the most recent upheaval to strike this ally of the United States with nuclear weapons.
An uncomfortable agreement between warring Sunni and Shia Muslim factions put an end to the violence on Sunday, but tales of skirmishes from the nation’s frequently restless, mountainous northwest persisted.
However, as that crisis subsided, police in the capital, Islamabad, started to battle with supporters of Khan, a former cricket star who is now the prime minister, and authorities rushed to block highways with shipping containers and restrict internet connectivity. Police and protesters exchanged charges of brutality, with the police claiming that over 70 protesters had been hurt and one of their number had been killed.
Khan is still well-liked in this nation of over 230 million people, which is dominated by Muslims. This is in spite of the fact that he was imprisoned a year ago on almost 150 accusations, which included breaking Islamic law, disclosing state secrets, and corruption. Supporters claim that these are false accusations made as part of a larger attempt to keep him and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), out of office and off the ballot in earlier this year’s elections.
On Monday, these supporters staged what they described as a long march or final call on Islamabad; according to officials, the convoy of cars included between 9,000 and 10,000 followers. As they approached the capital, the marchers, led by Bushra Bibi, Khan’s wife, were shown dancing, drumming, and waving flags in a video released by the PTI. The route was lined with fleets of automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles, many of which were flying the red and green PTI flag.
Senior PTI lawmaker Shaukat Ali Yousafzai told NBC News that police had been deploying tear gas, injuring some PTI supporters, and that they would not return until their leader Imran Khan was released from prison.
In response to these claims, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister of the Punjab area, said that the police officers who were sent to quell the demonstrations were unarmed. The marchers were then accused of carrying shotguns, knives, and tear gas shells.
As police issued two images of cops they said were hospitalized in the violence, Punjab Information Minister Uzma Bukhari reported that one officer had been murdered and that over 70 others had been injured in the fighting, some of them critically.
The demonstration, according to the military-backed government, was only intended to obstruct Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s arrival.
Why does the PTI insist on holding rallies and agitations whenever a high-ranking and close ally visits Pakistan? Jamal Khan, the nation’s minister of business, posted on X, a website that is prohibited in the nation. These trips help us improve our economy generally and support our foreign policy position.
In response, the government blocked access to the capital, positioned shipping containers on main thoroughfares, and prompted social media users to refer to the city as Containeristan.
Ambulances and other emergency vehicles were observed turning around after being blocked by these temporary barriers, according to the Associated Press. Some of these containers have been effectively removed from the highway between the capital and Peshawar by party volunteers, according to Yousafzai, the senior PTI leader.
In the meantime, authorities closed all schools and disabled Wi-Fi and mobile internet access in areas of the nation deemed to have security concerns.
In response to these limitations, the PTI posted a link to the BBC’s story coverage.
The largest mobilization in Pakistan’s history has been totally blacked out by our local, compromised media, while overseas media is live-streaming every development of this historic march, it posted.
A truce in Kurram
Following days of fighting along the Afghan border that claimed the lives of at least 65 people, the government brokered a cease-fire between opposing Shiite and Sunni Muslim militant factions, which led to the mayhem one day later.
Mohammad Ali Saif, a spokesman for the local government and a member of the delegation that brokered the agreement, told NBC News that the cease-fire in the sectarian-riven Kurram tribal territory is expected to last for seven days.
After skirmishes and human fatalities on both sides, the situation was extremely volatile, therefore this is a breakthrough, Saif said, adding that the factions decided to trade captives and the corpses of those murdered.
The factions have been involved in a land dispute in the area for decades. Unknown gunmen fired on a convoy of civilian vehicles traveling through the area last week, escalating tensions.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!