Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protesters reached Islamabad’s D-Chowk, and security forces quickly responded with intense tear gas shelling due to a stalemate in talks between the government and the opposition party.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he described as an “attack by protesters,” which, according to the interior minister, resulted in the deaths of at least four security personnel.
This incident coincides with PTI convoys, which have been active countrywide since Sunday, converging in Islamabad for a significant demonstration to demand the release of its founder, Imran Khan, among other demands.
Hello how are you? Welcome on the container. PTI protestors reached D Chowk in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/exALg1uEV7
— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) November 26, 2024A correspondent from Dawn.com at the scene captured visuals of dozens of PTI protesters gathering near D-Chowk and climbing containers placed to block their path. Army personnel stood atop one of the containers.
D-Chowk, located in Islamabad’s heavily fortified Red Zone, is a frequent site for political protests and leads to key government buildings, including the Parliament House and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
یہ ثبوت ہیں ۔
سیدھی گولیاں مار رہے ہیں pic.twitter.com/c7Ajk28VHv
— Ahmad Hassan Bobak (@ahmad__bobak) November 26, 2024The government and PTI have reportedly initiated ‘back-channel’ negotiations. Last night, Minister Naqvi hinted at ongoing talks with the protesting opposition, mentioning that the government had proposed Sangjani — the site of PTI’s September 8 rally — as a new venue for the protest.
Defying army, Imran Khan supporters, led by his wife Bushra Bibi, reach at the D Chowk, the epicenter of the protests in Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/zaoAJXOomj
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) November 26, 2024Late at night, media reports suggested that PTI leaders were persuading Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, who leads the main caravan from KP, to agree to the proposed change in the protest venue. Police sources informed Dawn that the convoy from KP included over 34,000 individuals.
Read: Federal Government Deploys Army in Islamabad to Manage PTI Protest
On November 13, Imran Khan called for nationwide protests on November 24 to demand the restoration of PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained members, and the reversal of the 26th Amendment, which he claims has bolstered a “dictatorial regime.”
Bushra Bibi at D Chowk. pic.twitter.com/WvGynO0ZVU
— Anwar Lodhi (@AnwarLodhi) November 26, 2024Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reported that three Rangers personnel and a Punjab policeman lost their lives on Monday in what he termed an “attack by miscreants.” He added that two Rangers and four Islamabad policemen were critically injured, and seventy Punjab policemen were injured, five critically.
"وزیر اعلی مریم نواز کی شر پسندوں کی گاڑی سے رینجرز اہلکاروں کو کچلنے کے اقدام کی شدید مذمت"
◾شہید ہونے والے کسی کے بیٹے اور بھائی تھے، ظلم کیا گیا۔
◾کیا دوسروں کو مارنا اور زخمی کرنا پر امن احتجاج ہوتا ہے؟
◾فسادی اور شر پسند سیاسی تاریخ کا خونی باب لکھ رہے ہیں۔ وزیر اعلی… pic.twitter.com/eILGGWkpG3
— PMLN (@pmln_org) November 26, 2024State-run Radio Pakistan reported the deaths of five personnel and stated that scores were injured in attacks by violent PTI workers, with 22 Punjab police vehicles damaged. Security forces have arrested several violent protesters, and efforts to identify more perpetrators are ongoing.
پاکستان تحریکِ انصاف کے کارکنان اسلام آباد کے ڈی چوک پر پہنچ گئے ہیں۔ مظاہرین نے ڈی چوک کے قریب کھڑے کنٹینر گرا دیے ہیں جب کہ ڈی چوک پر موجود پولیس اور رینجرز اہلکار پیچھے ہٹ گئے ہیں۔#VOAUrdu #PTI #Protest #Islamabad pic.twitter.com/vp0WA943Nl
— VOA Urdu (@voaurdu) November 26, 2024Reports indicate that a vehicle rammed into Rangers personnel on Srinagar Highway in Islamabad, causing severe injuries. Meanwhile, the PTI claims that paramilitary Rangers fired live ammunition at its protesters in Islamabad, resulting in two deaths and four injuries.
Read: Violent Clashes Erupt in Islamabad as PTI Protests Intensify
The party has condemned the government’s actions as exacerbating national discord and tarnishing Pakistan’s international reputation.
