Thousands defy police to support Imran Khan

Supporters of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan were pushed back by security forces after reaching the heart of the heavily barricaded capital on Tuesday.

The convoy of opposition demonstrators has been marching towards D Chowk – or Democracy Square – in Islamabad since the weekend, demanding, among other things, Khan’s release.

At least six people were killed – four paramilitary soldiers and two protesters – as the march moved through the city and there were clashes with security forces in some places.

However, a number of protesters made it to D Chowk and were seen climbing over shipping containers blocking their path.

But a few hours after the protesters reached the square, security forces successfully cleared the area. As darkness fell, the lights were turned off – only police and paramilitary soldiers remained.

A nearby police officer said some protesters made it over the three-story stack of shipping containers, but only a few hundred meters before they were pushed back.

Still, thousands of Khan supporters remain in the area – to keep warm in the bitter cold, protesters have begun burning paper and other materials in garbage containers. Many have even resorted to burning grass and bushes on the sidewalks and green spaces where people gather.

Muhammad Shahid, who traveled all the way from Punjab province with his family, says they are here because of Imran Khan’s message: “He says we have to fight for our rights.”

He added: “We are here to stand up for our fundamental rights. Imran Khan was unlawfully arrested and we will fight to make our voices heard.”

Khan, who has been in prison for more than a year on alleged politically motivated charges, urged his followers not to give up and encouraged people to continue reaching out to D Chowk.

“My message to my team is to fight to the end, we will not give in,” the former prime minister said on X.

Even behind bars, the former cricket star has proven to be an influential player in Pakistani politics. In the February elections, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which was banned from running and forced to run as an independent, emerged as the largest bloc.

However, they fell short of a majority and their rivals banded together to form a new government.

For this reason, the demonstrators are also demanding the annulment of the allegedly manipulated election results – a claim disputed by the government.

It was Khan who called on his supporters to take to the streets over the weekend, making a “final appeal” asking them to stay in the capital until their demands were met.

The government, which had already introduced a ban on public gatherings, responded by blocking Islamabad’s roads with shipping containers and deploying buses from across the country.

Restrictions also appeared to have been imposed on some internet services, while schools and colleges were closed amid fears of violence.

Pakistan’s interior minister said protesters were offered an alternative venue for their protest but declined.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who blamed protesters for the deaths of four soldiers on Tuesday, dismissed the march as “extremism.”

“These disruptive elements seek not revolution but bloodshed,” he said in a statement.

Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party, told Reuters that at least two protesters were killed – one was shot and one was run over by a vehicle.

At least 50 people were injured.

Additional reporting by Farhat Javed, Malik Mudassir and Fakhir Munir in Islamabad