Pakistan tense as police clash with ex-premier Khan’s supporters

Pakistan’s police on Monday fired tear-gas shells and used baton charges as thousands of supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan tried to storm the capital at protest seeking his release.

Around 8,000 protesters marching from Khan’s stronghold province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and led by his wife fought pitched battle with police in riot gear in the suburbs of Islamabad, officials and the party said.

Pakistan’s government deployed thousands of police officers and paramilitary troops and put the capital under a perpetual lockdown since Saturday as Khan’s supporters threatened to release him by force.

The protesters began their march from the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province backed by the regional government on Sunday and spent the night on the highway around 50 kilometres from Islamabad, Khan’s party said.

Police confronted them as soon as they tried to march into the capital on Monday.

At least 50 protestors and 20 officers were hurt in clashes. Police said marchers pelted the officers with stones.

Islamabad remained tense as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko arrived in the capital for a three-day state visit to sign economic and energy deals, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.

Last month, workers for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice, PTI) clashed with riot police and rallied in the capital as Pakistan hosted a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and is facing trial for allegedly inciting violence on May 9 of that year – the day when his supporters went on a rampage and attacked military installations.

Khan denies the allegations. All of his convictions have been either suspended or overturned in recent months.