ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s protesting opposition party leader and provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who fled the capital last night, resurfaced later in the day in Mansehra, where he announced that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sit-in would continue.
A high-stakes protest by PTI supporters in Islamabad, which had seen escalating violence and clashes with security forces, was called off early Wednesday morning following a major crackdown by law enforcement agencies to clear Islamabad of protesters.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Gandapur said, “Until Imran Khan’s call, this sit-in will continue. Imran Khan holds the authority to end it.” Gandapur said this in a crowded press conference at the residence of KP Assembly Speaker Babar Swati.
The protest had been organized in defiance of a government ban on public gatherings, with PTI supporters attempting to break through barricades to reach D-Chowk, a key protest site near the capital’s Red Zone. However, the PTI’s plans were thwarted as the police and security forces used heavy tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrators, leading to violent clashes throughout Tuesday.
CM Gandapur claimed that the sit-in was still ongoing despite the retreat of PTI’s leadership from the protest site. “The protest will continue until Imran Khan gives the order to end it,” he declared. He also expressed sympathy for those who had died during the unrest, referring to them as “martyrs” and pledging financial compensation for the families of the deceased, with an announcement of Rs10 million for each dead worker.
Gandapur denounced what he described as “state brutality” against peaceful protesters, accusing the government of trying to suppress the PTI’s movement through violence.
He emphasised the party’s peaceful intentions, stating that their goal was never to escalate the confrontation but rather to peacefully reach D-Chowk.
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He also recalled the hardships the PTI had faced, including the jailing of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, who had recently been released on bail after nine months in detention.
The protests, which saw more than 10,000 PTI supporters converge on Islamabad over the weekend, resulted in a standoff with some 20,000 security personnel.
Despite attempts to resist, including clashes where protesters wielded sticks and slingshots, PTI leaders eventually retreated from the frontlines late Tuesday.
Gandapur, in communication with the demonstrators, instructed them to “go home, have dinner, and return tomorrow,” signalling the retreat.
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the PTI had suffered a “major political failure,” saying their leaders had come to free Khan from jail but ended up with getting many of his supporters arrested. “They have suffered significant losses and will not be able to recover from this,” he said.
19 Afghan Nationals Among 610 Protesters Arrested Yesterday: IGP
Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said that PTI workers opened straight fire on law enforcement agencies. “Enough was enough. We will not allow terrorism under the guise of protest,” he said in a press conference.
Ali Nasir Rizvi says that terrorism was being done under the guise of protest. He said that 610 protesters were arrested yesterday out of which 19 were Afghan citizens. He said that over 200 vehicles of protesters were seized.
PTI Urges Chief Justice to Take Suo Motu Notice
In a statement issued early Wednesday, PTI announced the suspension of its protest “for the time being,” blaming government violence and the heavy-handed approach of security forces.
The party condemned the deaths of its workers, urging Pakistan’s Chief Justice, Yahya Afridi, to take suo motu notice of the alleged killings and the “terror and brutality” against the protesters.
The PTI also called for legal action against senior government officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and the police chiefs of Islamabad and Punjab, accusing them of an “attempt to murder.”
By Wednesday morning, the Red Zone in Islamabad was clear of protesters, though several vehicles, including the truck used by Bushra Bibi during the protests, were left behind, burned and damaged. Security forces, in full riot gear, had cleared the area and were seen leaving the site.
Despite the retreat and the temporary suspension of the sit-in, PTI officials stressed that the movement was not over.
“We will plan the next course of action after consulting with our leader Imran Khan,” said Mohammad Asim, PTI’s president in Peshawar, speaking to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the security forces for their handling of the protest, calling their response “brave” and declaring that the government had successfully repulsed the demonstrators.
