The government has asked the army to intervene as the situation worsens amid fierce protests demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. Protestors flooded the streets of Islamabad, clashing with police, leaving at least four policemen and one civilian dead.
According to a Bloomberg report, when the Pakistani military intervened, it issued “shoot at sight” orders under Section 245 – which provides for the armed forces to “defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war.” For” is a clause. This section also gives a free hand to the army as it bars any judicial intervention or future proceedings.
Local media in Pakistan also reportedly said that army orders instructed soldiers to “spare no one”.
Protesters in Pakistan have defied police warnings and are demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Thousands of citizens from all over Pakistan took to the streets of Islamabad carrying sticks, stones and slingshots.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who was the Prime Minister for a little over 3 years between 2018 and 2022, has been imprisoned and exiled for years by the Pakistani establishment. Despite his support base in Pakistan, Mr Khan has been barred from contesting elections. He has now been charged with dozens of legal cases ranging from fraud and corruption to vandalism and arson, and has even been charged with treason and sedition – he says it’s all designed to prevent him from making a political comeback. Has been implicated for.
Imran Khan’s opposition parties had alleged rigging in the elections held in February this year in Pakistan. Although Mr Khan was barred from standing in the election, his party still contested the election.
Imran Khan’s party won more seats in the election than any other party, but he was voted out of power by a coalition of parties considered more vulnerable to military influence. These are the two main demands of the protests in Islamabad now – ‘Release Imran Khan’, and overturn the allegedly rigged election results.
Imran Khan’s party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI – has rejected all government action by holding frequent rallies across the country, showing resolve against efforts to end his political career. The current rally in Islamabad is the biggest protest in support of Imran Khan since his jailing in August last year. Even before this he had to go to jail several times.
Although the protest was supposed to be peaceful, it turned violent after police retaliated, leaving four policemen and a civilian dead and about a dozen people seriously injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed “disruptive elements” who “do not want revolution but want bloodshed.” He further stated that “This is not a peaceful protest, this is extremism,” claiming that those who were killed were “crushed by a vehicle”.
Islamabad has been under siege since Saturday and a complete crackdown is being witnessed since then. More than 20,000 policemen and multiple contingents of soldiers have been called in with batons, guns, rifles, tear gas and riot gear. The city has also been fortified and several main roads leading to the government district have been closed off. Mobile phone connectivity has also been cut sporadically. Drones are also being used to keep an eye on the protesters. The government has also imposed a two-month ban on all public gatherings before declaring a state of emergency.
