Islamabad: Widespread protests in support of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan have plunged Pakistan into turmoil, with violent clashes rocking major cities and prompting a panicked government response.
Demonstrators took to the streets in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, demanding Khan’s release from Adiala Jail, where he has been held since August 2023.
The unrest turned ugly as protesters hurled stones and torched vehicles, clashing fiercely with security forces who retaliated with tear gas and baton charges to disperse the crowds. In Karachi, hundreds of Jamaat-e-Islami activists, rallying under the ‘Jeene Do Karachi’ banner against crumbling roads, poor drainage, and absent civic amenities, marched towards the Sindh Assembly. When police barricaded their path, the mob attacked, leading to the arrests of 10 people, including local leaders, and the seizure of party equipment.
Amid the escalating violence, President Asif Ali Zardari abruptly departed Islamabad by air for South Punjab, where he huddled with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Mukhtar Ahmad and others at his residence. PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto and his sister Asifa received heightened security in the capital. Chaos caused the highways across the affected cities to come to a halt, and as authorities prepared to relocate Khan to a new facility, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers gathered outside the jail.
In a pointed jab at Khan, President Zardari remarked, “They cannot make this sacrifice; they lack the courage. They can only talk. I too spent 14 years in jail and endured hardships but never lost heart.” As tensions simmer, reports suggest Khan may soon be moved to a hospital, leaving the nation on edge.