Police forces clashed violently with supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan in Pakistan on Monday as nationwide protests erupted against Khan’s detention, local media reported. The confrontations led to injuries among both demonstrators and police officers as well as the death of four Pakistani paramilitary officers.
Protests began on Sunday when demonstrators across Pakistan gathered in a large rally and marched toward the capital Islamabad. Most of the protesters were affiliated with the party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Initial clashes occurred in Faizabad, where protesters arriving from various cities, tried to continue their march to Islamabad but were stopped by the police. To disperse the crowd, police officers fired tear gas, used batons, and shot rubber bullets at the demonstrators. Additionally, they blocked the main routes leading to the capital by sealing off the roads with containers. In response, protesters set containers on fire and damaged police vehicles while the police arrested thousands of demonstrators and transported them to police stations for further legal procedures.
Furthermore, four officers of Pakistan’s Rangers, a paramilitary force, died as a car accidentally rammed into them while others suffered from injuries. The PTI claimed that the vehicle belonged to the country’s security forces who, according to the party’s words, deliberately ran people over as they left the protests’ site. On the other hand, the government accused protesters of violently attacking security forces who didn’t hold firearms. The Minister of Interior said to local reporters that the deceased officers received bullets and they responded to the shots by using tear gas and rubber bullets. He also emphasized that those responsible will be arrested and tried under the law.
Monday’s protests defied a lockdown imposed by the government on Sunday. Protesters rallied to demand the release of detained former Prime Minister Imran Khan and to oppose the current government. They planned to reach Islamabad by Tuesday to stage a sit-in in front of the country’s parliament.
Imran Khan served as prime minister of Pakistan until he resigned in 2022 and is currently imprisoned. He has been subject to several criminal proceedings for treason and corruption. In July 2024, the government banned his party the PTI, and accused him of ‘press treason’.
This isn’t the first time clashes have erupted between Khan’s supporters and security forces in Pakistan as the country has previously witnessed similar events. In October, the government imposed a lockdown in Islamabad to counter an anti-government demonstration organized by Khan’s supporters. This led to violent clashes a few days later between demonstrators and security forces during which eighty police officers were injured. As a result, the government intensified its restrictive measures against citizens and faced criticism for misusing special national security laws to target political opponents.
While protests are continuing in Islamabad, Amnesty International criticized the Pakistani government’s response to the PTI protests, urging authorities to respect protesters’ fundamental rights, including freedom of movement and assembly, as outlined in Pakistan’s constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
