Wed Nov 27 04:49:45 UTC 2024: ## Islamabad Sees Deadly Clashes as Imran Khan Supporters Protest

**Islamabad, Pakistan –** At least six security personnel were killed and over 100 injured in violent clashes between Pakistani police and paramilitary forces and supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday. The unrest prompted the government to deploy the army and issue shoot-on-sight orders.

The violence erupted as thousands of protestors from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party attempted to reach Islamabad’s D-Chowk, a location near key government buildings. Protesters, equipped with weapons and ammunition, overcame roadblocks and engaged in stone-throwing and gunfire, targeting security personnel. One vehicle even rammed into Pakistan Rangers, resulting in four fatalities.

The government responded by deploying the army and authorizing the use of lethal force against “miscreants and troublemakers.” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that over 100 security personnel, primarily police officers, were injured, with one senior officer critically wounded.

While the government offered an alternative protest site, and claimed Khan had initially agreed, the protest continued, with the PTI alleging that authorities used excessive force and that several of their supporters were also injured or killed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the violence, vowing to bring those responsible to justice. He emphasized that Pakistan “cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed.” The situation remains tense, with educational institutions in Islamabad and Rawalpindi closed due to the unrest. Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023, had called for the protest to demand his release and challenge the results of the February elections.

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