Imran Khan’s Supporters Protest in Pakistan, Clash With Cops During Rally; Security Tightened

Islamabad: Supporters of Imran Khan held a protest rally on Sunday in Islamabad, demanding the free up of the previous Pakistan Prime Minister from jail. Alternatively, this peaceful protest became chaos when the police started firing tear gas on the rallygoers. To recall, the rally became earlier postponed twice and became finally held on Sunday near Sangjani Cattle Market within the suburbs of Islamabad with the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued by the capital administration.

Thousands of PTI supporters showed their presence within the rally to produce a boost to the birthday celebration’s intact power in spite of several hurdles it faced within the past, including the imprisonment of its founder, Imran Khan.

Last year, Khan became arrested on August 5 after his conviction within the Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. He became first held at Attock Jail, then became transferred to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. He has over 200 cases filed against him but has handiest been convicted for some. On September 8, he completed his four hundred days in penitentiary.

As per the NOC, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally became scheduled to end at 7 p.m. (local time). Because the closing date ended, a ruckus broke out because the district administration directed the police to take action against the rallygoers for now no longer complying with the NOC. The authorities stated that the organisers violated the rules and regulations by now no longer concluding the gathering before the closing date. After which, the police started firing tear gas shells to disperse the group.

In response, agitated PTI workers began stone-pelting on the police, injuring many security personnel, including Senior Superintendent of Police Shoaib Khan.

“Strong turnout for the PTI rally whatever the state’s tactics to limit numbers through roadblocks and containers and whatever the chance of violent crackdowns and arrests. Its size and popularity make certain its mobilization capabilities remain intact in spite of relentless attempts to curb it,” Michael Kugleman, a South Asian expert, said in a post on X.

Strong turnout for PTI rally whatever the state’s tactics to limit numbers through roadblocks and containers, and whatever the chance of violent crackdowns and arrests. Its size and popularity make certain its mobilization capabilities remain intact in spite of relentless attempts to curb it.

— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) September 8, 2024

After the protest, the birthday celebration alleged that in the rally, heavy shelling became done by the Islamabad police on the peaceful protestors.

The leader of the opposition birthday celebration (PTI), Omar Ayub Khan, warned that the birthday celebration will now no longer sit until the free up of former PM Imran Khan. “We're soldiers of Imran Khan and will now no longer sit until he's ready free,” he said, adding that soon Khan may well be along with his supporters. He condemned physical hurdles placed on roads to limit the movement of participants and in addition announced that the PTI would now hold rallies across the u . s . a ..

It became the first major rally by the PTI in Islamabad since the February 8 elections. The birthday celebration desires to exert pressure on the govt. to free up Khan, who languishes in jail whatever the courts either acquitting him or giving him bail in all cases he became convicted.

PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan, fascinated in regards to the protest, alleged that the govt. had turned the city into a cage, but still thousands of people attended the rally to indicate their give a boost to for Khan. “It shows that Imran Khan is a reality, and that you possibly can should accept it… Imran Khan is a frontrunner and will always be a frontrunner,” he said. He appreciated Khan’s perseverance and leadership by saying that he became their handiest leader who never surrendered and would never surrender. He warned that the PTI would now no longer accept new cases against Khan. Gohar said that the PTI planned this rally for six months and had followed Khan’s instruction to hold the rally after the govt.’s permission. He also criticised the govt.’s new law for restricting political activities across the u . s . a ..

He ended his speech with the promise that “Imran Khan will be soon out of jail and along with his people.”.

The slogans raised throughout the rally heavily demanded the free up of Khan from jail.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who came from Peshawar, joined the protest with a range Imran’s supporters from the province. He vowed to continue to struggle for his or her people’s rights. He said people that put Khan into jail were being humiliated while “Khan is winning in jail.”He said that the govt. gave permission for the rally and blocked all roads leading to the rally venue. “Imran Khan, possible have got won while all others lost,” he said, vowing to move to any length for Khan.

He announced that he would hold the following rally in Lahore, without reference to the govt.’s permission. Gandapur also rejected that Khan may well be tried lower than army law, saying no person may do it. Ex-PM Imran Khan has always shown his willingness to hold talks for the establishment while refusing to sit down with the govt.. Thus a ways, all his tactics have did no longer get any relief. Mass protest is an option, but his birthday celebration has been facing pressure to avoid it. Nowadays’s rally became a test for both the govt. and the PTI, because that is going to help them gauge the bottom power swell for Khan and fine-tune their policies and tactics within the impending days.

As per PTI sources, the Islamabad administration has put hospitals and security on high alert this morning and blocked off more than one roads leading to the capital city. The Metro bus services are also stopped within the dual cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

“The hindrance created by the rulers showed they were fearful of Khan and his supporters,”  says former minister Hammad Azhar while addressing the rally. He identified that almost all members of the birthday celebration’s Punjab leadership are in jail, paying tribute to imprisoned leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Umar Sarfraz Cheema.

The opposite leader, Sher Afzal Marwat, also confirmed that they will hold rallies in Punjab very soon for Khan’s free up and the supremacy of law and the Constitution. “We're able to enter Punjab with 50,000 people from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a week,” he said, adding that they will even trigger off on foot and face the tear gas.

Additional forces have also been summoned to the placement where the clash broke out between the police and the birthday celebration workers.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the Public Order and Peaceful Assembly Bill 2024 hours before the planned rally, instituting strict measures for unauthorised gatherings. The new law introduces penalties for holding gatherings without permission in Islamabad. Per which, the violators should face up to some years in penitentiary with a charged fine. While the repeat offenders may well be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail.

(With PTI Inputs)