Thousands of supporters of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan have gathered in the capital Islamabad to demand the release of Imran Khan, the resignation of the government and the repeal of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution. Many of them have reached D-Chowk, the epicenter of the protest.
News media Geo TV reported that after Imran’s supporters reached Islamabad, members of law and order forces fired tear gas at them. At that time they threw bricks at the law enforcement forces.
The army has been deployed to prevent Imran’s supporters from entering the capital’s important government infrastructure. Qatar-based news agency Al Jazeera reported that the army was not seen standing on the streets to repel the protesters. They will mainly work to protect the infrastructure.
Al Jazeera journalist Kamal Haider reported from D-Chok that, in addition to tear gas, paramilitary forces were seen firing at Rangers with ‘automatic rifles’. He said so much tear gas had been fired at D-Cho that a “cloud of thin gas” had formed.
Stating that the situation there is very hot, this journalist said, “When tear gas or bullets are being fired at them (protesters), they are falling down. Coming right back again. It can be said that there is a very heated situation in Islamabad.”
He further said, “We saw the protesters carrying away the injured. They said many of them were injured. But still they will not budge from the demand. It is expected that more people will come to D-Choke. Now it remains to be seen how the government controls it.