Protest demanding Imran Khan release intensifies, four security officers killed by speeding vehicle
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Pakistan’s government has invoked Article 245 of the Constitution to deploy the military in parts of the capital, Islamabad, as tensions rise amidst ongoing protests.
Supporters of Imran Khan, Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, are marching towards the capital in defiance of government warnings.
Authorities say the armed forces have been tasked to defend the country against external threats and assist civil power. Notably, directives issued under Article 245 cannot be legally challenged.
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The article was last invoked by Khan’s own government during the COVID-19 pandemic to enforce lockdown measures.
Reports say several security personnel have been killed, with over 100 others injured, as a result of violent confrontations during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned of further measures, including curfews and strict action under Article 245, should the unrest intensify.
In a grim development, four security officers were killed after being struck by a speeding vehicle on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad. While the driver’s identity remains unclear, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif criticised the protesters, stating: “attacks on police and [security] personnel under the guise of so-called peaceful protests are condemnable”. He added that there was a “chaotic group deliberately targeting law enforcement agencies”.
The interior minister referred to those responsible for the violence as “miscreants,” but did not provide specific details about their affiliations.
Authorities have also vowed to prevent PTI supporters from entering D Chowk, a symbolic square in central Islamabad. The government remains firm in its stance, warning of severe consequences should the protests spiral further out of control.
This marks another flashpoint in Pakistan’s turbulent political landscape, with the confrontation between Khan’s supporters and the government showing no signs of abating.
