ISLAMABAD (AP) — Thousands of people are in the heart of Pakistan’s capital to demand the release of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan. He has been behind bars since August 2023 on charges that he and his supporters say are politically motivated.
Authorities have deployed thousands of security personnel to seal off the city, suspended phone services, used tear gas and threatened to fire live rounds.
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Police officers fire rubber bullets to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Pakistan's army troops move toward the Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, to take position ahead of the rally of supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)
Paramilitary soldiers fire rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes at D-Chowk square close to Red Zone in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party move towards D-Chowk square close to Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, during their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousufzai)
It’s the second time in as many months that the government has shut down Islamabad and mobilized massive resources to contain Khan’s supporters.
Here is what's behind the turmoil:
Cricket legend Khan can mobilize huge rallies and whip crowds into a frenzy with his claim that he was ousted from power in a conspiracy hatched by the U.S. and his archrival, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif and Washington deny it.
Khan presents himself as an outsider victimized by the establishment. His opponents say he is a corrupt demagogue who incites violence. Although incarcerated on several charges, Khan has successfully used social media and even AI to communicate with people across Pakistan. And they turn out in droves, bringing cities to a standstill.
Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi is leading the march, adding a dynamism that was missing from previous protests. She was held in a high-security prison on graft charges until a few weeks ago, when she was released on bail.
Her presence in a convoy of vehicles, coupled with rare public addresses to adoring crowds, has been a huge factor in attracting supporters in her husband’s absence. The spiritual healer has been the driving force behind the latest protest, insisting that she lead it from the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Islamabad.
Bibi is Khan’s third wife. The government alleged that she and Khan violated a law that says a woman must wait three months before marrying again. She was previously married to a man who claimed that they divorced in November 2017, less than three months before she married Khan. Bibi has said they divorced in August 2017.
Her conviction and imprisonment outraged women and rights groups in Pakistan, broadening her appeal beyond Khan’s political base.
Shelling. Threat of live fire. Beatings. None of these tactics are deterring Khan’s supporters.
Authorities have tried to stop them from entering the capital and failed. On Tuesday, they closed in on Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses key government buildings and is the stated destination for the rally.
The Interior Ministry said that police can decide on the level of force needed to deal with protesters. Up to now, police have exercised restraint. The apparent shoot-on-sight order heightens the likelihood of casualties and raises the spectre of widespread violence.
The unrest coincides with a visit from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is staying in the Red Zone.
Pakistan and its capital are no strangers to upheaval and violence. But the last two pro-Khan rallies have seen a strong response from the government and an even stronger pushback from Khan’s political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
The economic cost each day of even partial lockdowns runs into hundreds of millions of dollars, losses that the cash-strapped country cannot afford.
The government refuses to give into demands for Khan’s release because of his immense popularity and the threat he poses to the ruling elite.
Khan’s supporters, meanwhile, pledge to do whatever it takes to get him out of prison and back into power, even if it means risking their lives.
Police officers fire rubber bullets to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Pakistan's army troops move toward the Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, to take position ahead of the rally of supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)
Paramilitary soldiers fire rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes at D-Chowk square close to Red Zone in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party move towards D-Chowk square close to Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, during their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousufzai)
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Supporters seeking the release of imprisoned Pakistani former Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through a ring of shipping containers blocking off the capital on Tuesday, and battled security forces despite a government threat to respond with gunfire. Six people have died in the violence.
Thousands of security forces have poured into central Islamabad in an attempt to quell protests in support of Khan that have gripped the capital and its surrounding areas since Sunday. The popular politician has been in jail for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases that his party says are politically motivated.
Authorities say only courts can order the release of Khan, who was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. He has been imprisoned since his first conviction in a graft case, in August 2023.
On Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in downtown Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses key government buildings and is where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is staying. Paramilitary rangers and police were also out in force and some fired warning shots into the air.
Still, Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who is leading the protests, made slow progress toward the square in a heavily guarded convoy, surrounded by well-wishers.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi threatened that security forces would respond with live fire if protesters fired weapons at them.
“We have now allowed police to take any decision according to the situation,” Naqvi said later while visiting the square.
Protester Shahzor Ali said people were on the streets because Khan had called for them to be there. “We will stay here until Khan is among us. He will decide what to do next,” Ali said.
“If they again fire bullets, the bullet will be responded with the bullet,” he said.
Police so far have used tear gas in an attempt to disperse the crowds. The dead include four members of the security services and one civilian who were killed when a vehicle rammed them on a street overnight into Tuesday. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack, saying an “anarchist group” was deliberately targeting law enforcement personnel. There was no claim of responsibility for the ramming. A police officer died separately.
Scores of people have also been injured, including journalists who were attacked by demonstrators. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for The Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was treated in a hospital.
Pakistani media have mostly stopped filming and photographing the rally, instead focusing on the security measures and the city’s deserted streets.
By Tuesday afternoon, fresh waves of protesters made their way unopposed to their final destination in the Red Zone. Most demonstrators had the flag of Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, around their shoulders or wore its tricolors on accessories.
Naqvi said Khan’s party rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city.
In a bid to foil the protest, police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country and messaging platforms were also experiencing severe disruption in the capital.
Khan’s party relies heavily on social media to demand Khan’s release and uses messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible, even with a VPN.
On Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested. Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All educational institutions remain closed.
Associated Press writer Munir Ahmed contributed to this report.
Police officers fire rubber bullets to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party move towards D-Chowk square close to Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, during their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousufzai)
Pakistan's army troops move toward the Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, to take position ahead of the rally of supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ehsan Shahzad)
Police fire tear gas to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, at D-Chowk square close to Red Zone, which is an area that houses key government buildings, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/W.K. Yousufzai)
Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Paramilitary soldiers fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
A supporter of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, runs for cover after police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
A police officer aims to throw stone with a slingshot after others fire tear gas shells to disperse supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
A supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, aims to throw stones with slingshot following police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
A police officer loads his riffle with rubber bullets during clashes with supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, aim to throw stones with slingshot following police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, throw stones as police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
A police officer removes a tear gas shell thrown back by supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
A police officer fires a rubber bullet during clashes with supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party throw stones toward police during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Police fire tear gas shell to disperse supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Irtisham Ahmed)
Supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, run for cover as police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, remove shipping container to clear way for their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, remove shipping container to clear way for their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, gather to remove shipping container to clear way for their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, gather to remove shipping container to clear way for their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party run for cover as police fire tear gas shells to disperse them during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party move forwards following police fire tear gas shells to disperse them during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, throw stone as police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, gather to remove shipping containers to clear way for their rally demanding Khan's release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former Premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party move advance following police fire tear gas shell to disperse them during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)
Supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, burn bushes to reduce the impact of tear gas shells fired by police officers to disperse them during a rally demanding Khan's release, at a motorway in Ghazi in Attock district, Pakistan, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Maaz Awan)
