Tensions flared in Islamabad on Sunday when supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with police during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally demanding his immediate release. The rally, held near the Sangjani cattle market in the capital’s suburbs, turned violent when police dispersed the crowd after the event allegedly exceeded the permitted time. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
About the rally
Thousands of PTI supporters turned out for the rally, which had been postponed twice in recent months. Despite Khan’s imprisonment and several legal battles, witnesses said the turnout demonstrated the party’s sustained influence and broad support.
Clashes broke out
It should be noted that the Islamabad administration had granted a no-objection certificate to the rally, on the condition that it would conclude by 19:00 local time. However, when the deadline was met, the authorities ordered the police to take action against the remaining participants. The situation quickly escalated when PTI supporters started pelting stones at law enforcement officials, injuring several of them, including Senior Superintendent of Police Shoaib Khan.
“Despite state efforts to limit numbers through roadblocks and container blocks, the turnout at the PTI rally shows that the party’s ability to mobilize remains strong, despite the risk of repression and arrests,” said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert, in a social media post.
PTI leaders criticised the administration
Several PTI leaders addressed the crowd, denouncing the government’s crackdown on the party and calling for Khan’s release. Omar Ayub Khan, a PTI leader in the National Assembly, vowed that the party would continue its fight until Khan was released. “We are soldiers of Imran Khan and we will not rest until he is released,” he said, promising more demonstrations across the country to keep up the pressure on the government.
The rally was the PTI’s first major show of force in Islamabad since the February 8 elections. PTI leaders stressed that Khan’s continued imprisonment, despite courts granting him bail or acquitting him in several cases, was politically motivated.
Also, Gohar Ali Khan, another senior PTI leader, criticised the government’s tactics to limit attendance at the rally and accused the authorities of turning Islamabad into a “cage”. He told his supporters: “Imran Khan is a reality that the government must accept. He remains our only leader who never gives up.” Gohar also warned that the PTI would not tolerate further legal action against Khan.
Notably, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who led a large contingent of Khan’s supporters from Peshawar, also made an impassioned speech in which he vowed to continue the fight for Khan’s rights. “Those who imprisoned Khan are being humiliated, while Khan continues to win even from jail,” Gandapur claimed. He announced plans for a larger rally in Lahore, regardless of whether the government grants permission.
(With contributions from PTI)
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