6 die in Pakistan as protesters demand Imran’s release, govt deploys army in capital

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan deployed its army within the nation’s capital on Tuesday with orders to shoot protesters if necessary, as deadly clashes escalated between the police and supporters of former PM Imran Khan.
The govt said four paramilitary rangers and two policemen were killed late Monday and over 100 security personnel injured in the violence, as thousands of protesters marched to Islamabad to demand Khan’s release from prison. PM Shehbaz Sharif blamed the protesters for the soldiers’ deaths, accusing them of ramming the paramilitary troops with a convoy of vehicles. “It is not a peaceful protest. It is extremism,” he said in a statement, aimed at achieving “evil political designs”.
Two protesters killed: PTI
Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesman for Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), denied Sharif’s accusation and claimed that two protesters had been killed and 30 more injured in the clashes, the worst political violence seen in months in the nation of 241 million people. One of the protesters was shot dead and the other was run over by a vehicle, Bukhari said. Authorities did not reply to a query seeking to confirm the deaths.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International said the govt must fully protect the rights of protesters and rescind “shoot-on-sight” orders that it said gave undue and excessive powers to military.
Slingshots Vs rubber bullets
Khan’s supporters dismantled roadblocks that had been put in place to stop them while patriotic songs blared from vehicles. Some danced in front of the slow-moving convoy, some chanting, “Revolution! Revolution!” When they reached the square late afternoon, some chanted “Prisoner Number 804” – a reference to Khan – while others climbed atop shipping containers that had been set up to block their advance.
PTI workers, many of them brandishing slingshots and sticks, engaged security personnel in combat as they attempted to make way to D-Chowk, a central square in front of parliament located close to key govt buildings such as the presidency, the PM office, and the supreme court. The police used tear gas and rubber bullets against the protesters.
Khan called for the demonstration over the weekend. Pakistan’s military-backed civilian govt put the capital on lockdown, blocking major highways and suspending cellular and internet services in several areas. But protesters managed to enter the city Monday night.
Khan’s wife leading stir
Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was leading the protest with Ali Amin Gandapur, CM of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where PTI is in govt, accompanying her. Upon reaching Islamabad, Bibi vowed from atop a container truck: “I promise that I will be the last woman here, I will not leave D-Chowk without him (Imran). You also promise me that you will not leave until Khan comes out. If anyone tells you otherwise, it is a lie.”
Imran: Fight till the last ball
In a post on X from jail, Khan, 72, said. “To my team, my message is clear: Fight till the last ball… This is the struggle for Pakistan’s survival and true freedom”. Khan also issued a call for more supporters to join protests in the capital. Khan accuses the govt and the military of conspiring to crush his party and undermine democracy. He has also criticised recent legal changes that limit the power of judiciary, arguing that they are meant to keep him out of power.
‘Protesters pushed back’
Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking to journalists, ruled out any negotiations with the protesters. He also claimed that the protesters, who had gathered at D-Chowk, had been pushed back and the area was cleared. The turmoil, meanwhile, has rattled investors. Pakistan’s Stock Exchange lost more than $1.7 billion Tuesday. NYT & Agencies
Input from Omer Farooq Khan