Security forces disperse protesters in Islamabad over former PM Khan’s detention
A supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gestures after tear gas was fired by the police to disperse the crowd during a protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on November 26, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Authorities cleared thousands of protesters from Pakistan, Islamabad’s city center on Wednesday following intense clashes over the detention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The demonstrators, numbering over 10,000, had flooded the capital since the weekend, heeding Khan’s call to challenge what he alleges was a rigged election in February aimed at blocking his political return.
The government deployed 20,000 security personnel to contain the protest, as demonstrators attempted to occupy a key public square near parliament and the prime minister’s residence.
Violence erupted overnight as police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters armed with sticks and slingshots. Fires lit by roadblocks burned through the night.
By early Wednesday, the main route toward Islamabad’s government enclave was cleared of protesters, with security forces in riot gear seen leaving the area.
The situation remains tense as political instability continues to grip Pakistan, with Khan’s supporters decrying his detention as a politically motivated attempt to marginalize him ahead of elections.
