Pakistan: Imran Khan's party's protest ends after shocking Shahbaz government, Bushra Bibi absconds due to fear of arrest

Islamabad: Supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan ended the protest today after sudden midnight action by security personnel in D Chowk and its surrounding areas in Pakistan's capital Islamabad. Meanwhile, Khan's party PTI termed the action by the security personnel as an attempt at “genocide” carried out under a “fascist military regime”. On this matter, according to Pakistani website The Dawn, the party said this morning that any further decision will be taken only on the advice of Imran Khan.

According to police sources, about 450 protesters have been arrested. Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said the security forces opened fire on the protesters with the intention of killing as many people as possible.

Earlier on Tuesday evening, PTI supporters clashed with officials of law enforcement agencies, following which they succeeded in staging a sit-in at D-Chowk as part of the Islamabad march that began on Sunday. Six security personnel were killed and dozens were injured in clashes between supporters and police.

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Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, who led the march from Peshawar to Islamabad along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, said the protesters would not leave until Khan was released from jail. However, the security personnel continued their efforts to remove them from the area.

According to the report received on this, Chief Minister Gandapur had again asked the protesters to go home late last Tuesday night. Home Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a press conference that both of them have fled due to fear of arrest.

Please note that Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister's Office, Parliament and Supreme Court are located around D-Chowk. Around midnight, police and rangers launched an operation to clear the Blue Area business area. PTI reacted to the action by accusing the government of using violence and attempting to kill hundreds of its workers.

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In this regard, PTI said in a post on X, “An attempted genocide was carried out in Pakistan at the hands of security forces under the brutal, fascist military rule led by the Shehbaz-Zardari-Asim alliance. There is bloodshed in the country.”

In this regard, Pakistani website The Dawn has written quoting sources that, after this, Gandapur and Bushra Bibi went away from the protest and since then nothing has been known about them. On this, Pakistan's Information Minister Ata Tarar claimed that both had probably returned to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Let us tell you that the 72-year-old former Prime Minister, who was in jail since August last year, had given a “last call” for nationwide protests on November 24. He had given this call on 13th November. Khan had reportedly condemned the theft of mandate, unjust arrest of people and the passage of the 26th amendment to the Constitution. On the 26th amendment of the Constitution, he had said that it had strengthened the “dictatorial rule”. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been lodged in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail since last year and according to his party, more than 200 cases are registered against him. (with agency input)