Capital locked down, protesters clash with police

(CLO) On November 26, thousands of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan broke down barricades in the capital Islamabad, clashed with security forces and demanded his release.

Pakistani authorities have imposed a security lockdown across the country, cutting off internet access and blocking major roads into the capital to prevent protesters from entering, after Khan called on his supporters to march to parliament on Sunday.

Protesters demand the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Pakistan's Punjab province on November 25. Photo: AFP

The protest was led by Mrs. Bushra Bibi (Mr. Khan's wife) and Mr. Ali Amin Gandapur (leader of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Mr. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is in power).

As protesters neared Islamabad on Monday, they defied a ban on gatherings, faced tear gas from police and blocked roads with containers. Clashes broke out, setting fires at checkpoints and vehicles on the highway. Reuters reported that at least 22 police vehicles were set on fire.

According to medical sources, five people were killed, including four security personnel and a civilian, and many others were injured. The initial cause is believed to be a car that rammed into a group of protesters.

By Tuesday morning, the protesters had entered the center of Islamabad, moving through the Blue Area commercial area and reaching D-Chowk Square. However, by the evening of the same day, the area was empty of protesters.

Protesters are demanding Mr Khan’s release. The former prime minister, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022, has been detained for more than a year and faces a range of charges ranging from corruption to leaking state secrets – all of which he and his PTI party deny.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said security forces had been injured in the clashes, but police were "exercising restraint". He warned of tough measures, including a curfew or deployment of the army, if the protests went beyond limits.

The protests come as Pakistan struggles with a number of serious problems, including sectarian violence and militant attacks that have left dozens dead in recent months.

Hong Hanh (according to Reuters, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/pakistan-thu-do-bi-phong-toa-internet-bi-cat-va-nguoi-bieu-tinh-dung-do-voi-canh-sat-post323091.html