Tue Nov 26 19:19:16 UTC 2024: ## Deadly Clashes Erupt in Islamabad as Imran Khan Supporters Storm Red Zone

**Islamabad, Pakistan** – Violent clashes erupted in Islamabad on Tuesday as thousands of supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan breached security barricades and stormed the city’s heavily fortified Red Zone. At least six people, including four Pakistani Rangers, were killed, and over 100 security personnel injured in the ensuing violence. The government responded by deploying the army and authorizing the use of lethal force.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supporters, demanding his release from prison, clashed with security forces using slingshots and batons. Security forces responded with tear gas and gunfire, pushing back the protestors from D-Chowk, the heart of the Red Zone where most government buildings are located. The Afghan embassy in Islamabad temporarily suspended operations due to the unrest.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that the army’s deployment was authorized under Article 245 of the Constitution, following the protestors’ refusal of an offer to relocate their demonstration to a designated area outside the Red Zone. Naqvi asserted that despite Khan’s acceptance of the alternative location, a higher authority within the PTI rejected the proposal. He emphasized that the PTI would not be permitted to demonstrate at D-Chowk under any circumstances. Over 4,000 protestors have been arrested since Friday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks on Rangers and police personnel, ordering immediate identification and prosecution of those involved. Reports indicate that one police officer was killed on Monday during earlier clashes near Hakla Interchange, and a senior police officer suffered a severe head injury from stone-throwing. Radio Pakistan reported that four Rangers were killed when a vehicle hit them on Srinagar Highway late Monday. Further, two more policemen were killed in separate incidents.

The Information Minister blamed Bushra Bibi, Imran Khan’s wife, for the damage caused during the protests. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s benchmark index plunged by 3.6% on Tuesday amid the ongoing unrest, further exacerbating concerns about the country’s fragile economy and its ability to secure an IMF bailout.

Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on numerous charges his supporters deem politically motivated, addressed the nation from prison, urging his supporters to continue their fight for what he calls true freedom. The US State Department expressed support for the right of peaceful protest but urged both protesters and authorities to exercise restraint and uphold human rights. Reports suggest Pakistan’s ISI is seeking UAE mediation to de-escalate the situation. The PTI also reported the death of one of their elected council members in the clashes. The large scale mobilization of supporters around a jailed leader with limited public contact marks an unprecedented moment in Pakistan’s political history. The situation remains tense despite the army and rangers having pushed the protestors back from D-Chowk.

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