'Shoot at sight' order issued in Pakistan as protest march to free Imran Khan turns violent; 5 killed in clashes
Islamabad: Pakistan’s military has issued ‘shoot at sight’ orders to restrain supporters of the jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan marching towards the capital after four security personnel and one demonstrator were killed in clashes, media reports said.
Clashes erupted late Monday when protesters demanding the release of Imran Khan entered Islamabad despite the government’s efforts to suppress the nationwide protests.
Police fired tear gas shells to scatter the demonstrators.
The protest, led by Imran Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, began on Sunday and reached Islamabad by Monday evening.
The march continued into Tuesday as protesters resumed their journey to D-Chowk, near key government buildings.
According to The Nation, four paratroopers were killed, and the army, under Article 245, had been authorized to shoot at sight in response.
Social media footage showed Khan’s supporters wearing gas masks and goggles, continuing their march amid heavy security that disrupted travel between Islamabad and other cities.
This is the current situation in Islamabad's D-Chowk, where the state is resorting to heavy shelling and direct firing on innocent civilians exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest. Many deaths have been reported, and the toll continues to rise. Hundreds are… pic.twitter.com/KrNSKCShG5
— PTI (@PTIofficial) November 26, 2024
Ambulances and cars were turned away from areas along the Grand Trunk Road in Punjab, where roads were blocked with shipping containers.
PTI shared videos and photos of injured protesters and claimed that the government was "showering chemicals on protesters from planes."
Other footage showed protesters removing the containers with the help of heavy machineries.
PTI senior leader Kamran Bangash vowed to overcome all obstacles and continue the march despite the police's tear gas attacks.
"We will overcome all hurdles one by one," PTI senior leader Kamran Bangash told The Associated Press, as he vowed to continue the march despite the tear gas attacks.
Bangash also said that Bushra Bibi, recently released on bail in a corruption case, would lead the march, joined by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
Imran Khan, jailed for over a year, faces more than 150 charges ranging from corruption to inciting violence during his tenure as prime minister.
As a result of the unrest, all educational facilities in Islamabad were closed for security reasons, according to a notice from the local administration, reported Bloomberg.
Mobile services were also suspended in some areas, and a ban was placed on gatherings of more than five people.
The local administration also imposed a ban on gatherings of more than five people.
Punjab police chief Usman Anwar reported that 119 officers had been injured during clashes in the region, south of the capital.
Earlier, Bushra Bibi urged the protesters to remain determined in their efforts to free Khan, chanting “God is great” before leaving the scene while addressing them near Islamabad.
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