The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party’s protests, demanding the release of its leader Imran Khan, took a violent turn on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of four security personnel and two PTI supporters, the Dawn reported.
The PTI protestors were met with intense tear gas upon reaching Islamabad’s D-Chowk following which the clash between protestors and security forces broke out.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he said was an “attack by protesters,” while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi informed the deaths of at least four security personnel in the clash, Dawn reported.
Meanwhile, PTI alleged that the security personnel fired live ammunition at the protestors, killing two and injuring four others.
Condemning the attack on Rangers and police officers by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protesters in Islamabad, PM Sharif called for the immediate identification and accountability of those responsible for the incident.
The Prime Minister emphasised the need to provide the highest level of medical care to the Rangers and police officers injured in the attack and stated that assaults on law enforcement personnel, masked as peaceful protests, are entirely unacceptable, ARY News reported.
He said that the police and the Rangers are responsible for maintaining law and order in the city.
Sharif described the group responsible for the attack as anarchistic, suggesting that their actions reflect a desire for violence rather than legitimate protest, and labelled it as extremism, ARY News reported.
He stressed that Pakistan cannot tolerate any form of chaos or violence, condemning bloodshed fuelled by malicious political motives.
Meanwhile, the Tehreek-e-Insaaf rally entered Islamabad today under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur marking the start of a significant ‘do-or-die’ protest for the release of PTI founder and the country’s premier Imran Khan from prison, ARY News reported. (ANI)
