Pakistan: Imran Khan supporters suspend protests after deadly Islamabad raid
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's supporters protest to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, in Hasan Abdal, Punjab province on November 25. Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has suspended its street protests demanding his release following a deadly midnight raid by security forces in Islamabad.
Reports indicate that hundreds of protesters were arrested during the operation, which left six people dead, including four paramilitary soldiers and two demonstrators.
Zulfikar Bukhari, a PTI spokesperson, confirmed the decision to call off the sit-in, citing the “massacre” during the raid.
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The protest was aimed at pressuring authorities to free Khan, who has been imprisoned since August last year.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the coordinated efforts of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies in clearing protesters from key areas of the capital, including the heavily secured red zone, which houses parliament, diplomatic missions, and other government institutions.
“I congratulate the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, and the Islamabad, Punjab, and Sindh police for their courageous role,” Naqvi stated.
Security forces launched the raid under cover of darkness, cutting power in parts of central Islamabad and using tear gas to disperse demonstrators.
By Wednesday morning, workers were seen removing debris and dismantling shipping container barricades used by authorities to block access to key areas of the city.
The protests are part of a broader campaign by PTI to demand Khan’s release and challenge his detention, which the party has said is politically motivated.
For now, the suspension of protests signals a pause in the PTI’s confrontation with the state, as the party strategizes its next move amidst increasing pressure.
