PTI calls off Islamabad protest

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called off its Islamabad sit-in for the time being following Tuesday night clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

PTI's official X (formerly Twitter) account issued a press release on Wednesday morning that reads, “In view of the government’s brutality and the government’s plan to turn the capital into a slaughterhouse for unarmed citizens, [we] announce the suspension of the peaceful protest for the time being.” 

On Tuesday night, security forces launched an operation at D Chowk to disperse the protestors.

Reportedly, prior to the operation, markets in all nearby areas were closed, and streetlights were also turned off; the operation was completed within two and a half hours, leading to the arrest of more than 500 protesters from D-Chowk and its nearby areas.

In some videos posted on social media, scenes of D-Chowk after the operation are shown, and dozens of broken windows of vehicles can be seen on the federal capital’s Jinnah Avenue. 

PTI, in its statement shared on X, appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Yahya Afridi, to take suo motu notice of the alleged “brutal murder of martyred [party] workers” and order legal action against the prime minister and interior minister as well as Islamabad and Punjab police chiefs for “attempt to murder”.

Two demonstrators were killed and over 60 injured in clashes between security forces and protestors on Tuesday night.

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) confirmed the civilian death toll.

On the contrary, the PTI, in a statement, claimed that “dozens” of its workers were shot at directly and killed, saying that the party had the details of eight deceased.

Meanwhile, former First Lady Bushra Bibi, Chief Minister (CM) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur and National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan will address an “emergency” press conference today.