Public indignation grew when protesters in favor of Imran Khan’s PTI party encountered violence and hindrance.
Slamabad—Supporter Crackdown of Pakistan’s imprisoned former prime minister, Imran Khan, seemed to have won a resounding victory on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 26. Thousands of political activists from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) marched on the capital to seek Khan’s release, led by his wife, Bushra, a mysterious faith healer.

They Pakistan’s intended to organize a sit-in and exert pressure on the government in D-Chowk,

a roundabout in Islamabad’s government sector that has been compared to Egypt’s Tahrir Square. They arrived at their goal in spite of all odds. a roundabout in Islamabad’s government sector that has been compared to Egypt’s Tahrir Square. They arrived at their goal in spite of all odds.

The government had put in place a variety of barriers to discourage the demonstrators in the lead-up to the demonstration, which PTI leaders referred to as “the final call.” Shipping containers were positioned on all of the main roadways, a roundabout in Islamabad’s government sector that has been compared to Egypt’s Tahrir Square. They arrived at their goal in spite of all odds.

and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were placed under lockdown.

To reduce the number of demonstrators Pakistan’s entering the capital, the highways that connect Islamabad to the rest of the nation were also closed. Section 144, a rule from the colonial era that forbids public meetings, was faithfully enforced, and schools and universities were shut down.

After the former cricket player turned politician was Pakistan’s ousted in a military-sponsored vote of no confidence in April 2022, the “final call” protest was the most recent in a string of conflicts between the PTI and the government Crackdown

Khan is not the first politician to run afoul of his military backers, but his ability to maintain his support base while confined in a jail cell has embarrassed both the military and his political rivals, particularly in February when PTI-affiliated candidates achieved a string of unexpected election wins.

Khan’s followers were in a celebratory mood on Tuesday after they had overcome every challenge in their path. However, the area’s lighting were switched off sometime between 9 and 10 p.m., and law enforcement officials started a clear-out operation.

A much of what transpired thereafter is still unknown. More than 270 people were killed as snipers stationed on the rooftops of nearby high-rise buildings opened fire on demonstrators, according to the PTI. However, the administration insists that no live ammunition was discharged and that when police started making arrests, the crowd dispersed.

During a formal press conference, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated, “PTI was trying to look for bodies here and there.” “For that matter, they frequently visit morgues, and we have observed that they have previously owned the funerals of regular people.”

There is no doubt that the area was cleared and the demonstration was put down within a few hours of the lights going out. Bushra herself quickly left the scene and hasn’t been seen in public since. Over 4,000 people have been arrested by the police thus far, and as the crackdown against the PTI intensifies, this number is only anticipated to increase.

It is also evident that some persons were shot dead at the site, in spite of the government’s statements. A doctor who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity said he had never performed so many procedures for gunshot wounds in one night, however it is now hard to confirm the statistics. “Instead of waiting for anesthesia, we had to begin surgery immediately because some of the injured arrived in such critical condition,” he said.

In the meantime Pakistan’s,.

relatives of the shooting victims have come forward and described the state’s cruelty in graphic detail. Even several of Khan’s opponents have acknowledged the use of weapons, demonstrating the strength of the anecdotal evidence. An outspoken opponent of Imran Khan and the PTI, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has said that at least two members of his own constituency were killed during the demonstration. On local TV, he asked, “How can you justify shooting at protesters?” Furthermore, the administration has the audacity to assert that no one has perished. Permit the hospitals to make their records available.

The hospitals closest to the location have seen a significant police presence due to allegations of intimidation and record-tampering. Renowned investigative journalist Matiullah Jan was kidnapped by intelligence agents on Thursday, November 28, from the parking area of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the hospital closest to the PTI demonstration. Jan had gone there to inquire about the number of those killed in the crackdown.

Jan was arrested and imprisoned on charges of possessing 246 grams of crystal methamphetamine just hours after his kidnapping. Many believe the government is being dishonest because of the absurdity of the charge and the fact that Jan was arrested while attempting to record the number of protestors shot during the operation.

The entire episode has an ironic element as well. Midway through Imran Khan’s contentious tenure, in July 2020, Matiullah Jan, a journalist, was kidnapped for his reporting. Several members of the opposition PMLN administration at the time utilized his case to criticize the PTI regime’s tyranny.

Even while one presumes that they recall what it was like to be the target of official persecution, very few today are willing to stand up for him. Even the fabricated drug accusation has precedent: Rana Sanaullah Khan, a prominent PMLN politician, was accused of transporting 15 kg of heroin to Lahore in July 2019 in a similarly false allegation.

There is a sense that Pakistan has never been so fractured amid the dizzying turbulence of Pakistani politics, as political parties alternately carry out the orders of the military and media are intimidated for questioning them. Although crackdowns have occurred in the past, nothing so ruthless has ever occurred in Islamabad.

At least four security officials were also slain, in addition to PTI activists.