At least 30 protesters have been arrested as police fire tear gas to disperse PTI protesters attempting to reach Islamabad’s D-Chowk for a planned party rally.
Meanwhile, incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan again called on his supporters to gather for a “peaceful protest” as his party amped up preparations for the rally scheduled for today despite a ban on gatherings. Another one is also scheduled for Lahore’s Minar-i-Pakistan on Saturday.
The PTI has carried out multiple rallies across the country in recent weeks, protesting against the “illegal” imprisonment of its founder and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s delay in implementing the reserved seats verdict, as well as to “save the Constitution”.
Ahead of its rallies in Islamabad and Lahore earlier this month, the government had issued a set of strict guidelines, which the PTI failed to follow fully, sparking clashes between its workers and the authorities.
The PTI today shared updates of its caravans departing various cities, despite being warned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi a day ago not to hold any rally in Islamabad due to several high-profile visits by foreign dignitaries.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with whom the PTI has been in frequent amicable contact recently, has also urged the party to postpone its planned gatherings till the foreigners have left.
The police have blocked all entry and points to the cities and tear gas shelling has also begun in an attempt to disperse protesters.