Islamabad, Nov 27: Four paramilitary personnel and two policemen have been killed and over 100 security personnel injured as the protest by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan turned violent prompting the federal government to deploy the army in the national capital along with shoot at sight orders on Tuesday, state-run media said.Pakistan deployed the army amid a tense stand-off with Khan’s supporters from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pushing forward by removing hurdles on their way to Islamabad’s D-Chowk venue as the government vowed to foil their attempt âeven if a curfew needs to be imposed.â
Radio Pakistan said a vehicle rammed into Pakistan Rangers personnel killing four Rangers officials on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad late on Monday night. Five other Rangers personnel and several police officials too sustained severe injuries.
About five kilometres from this spot, a bunch of miscreants, equipped with weapons and ammunition, pelted stones on the Rangers personnel and carried out indiscriminate firing on the security personnel at Chungi No 26 in Rawalpindi, Radio Pakistan said.
It also reported that two policemen were killed but didn’t provide any details.
According to Punjab police, one policeman was killed at Hakla interchange on Islamabad outskirts during clashes with the PTI protestors on Monday but it also did not give details about the second policeman.
Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, at a late night media interaction, that more than one hundred security personnel, mostly from police, were injured and added: âOne senior police officer (SP) was critically injured â he suffered a severe head injury — due to stone-pelting by protesters.â
Pakistan Army was called in âto deal with the miscreants with an iron handâ and âclear orders have also been issued to shoot miscreants and troublemakers on sight.â
Strongly condemning the attack on Rangers and police personnel by protesters, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, directed to immediately identify those involved in the incident and ensure they are brought to justice.
âAttacks on police and Rangers, under the guise of a so-called peaceful protest, are condemnable,â he said, adding, the anarchist group seeks bloodshed and âPakistan cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed. Bloodshed for nefarious political agenda is unacceptable and highly condemnable.â
He also instructed to provide the best possible medical facilities to those injured.
Interior Minister Naqvi said the government had offered an alternative venue to the protestors to stage their activity at Sangjani in the suburbs of the capital and apparently Khan has also agreed to it.
Despite permission given by Khan, âmaybe there is a leadership above Imran Khan who has refused to accept this,â he claimed and confirmed that talks were going on with the PTI to resolve the issue and that the PTI leaders were allowed to meet Khan twice on Monday to get his input.
The government is waiting for a formal response to its offer of an alternative venue for protest and âwe are now waiting for PTIâs response before taking further steps,â Naqvi added.
Naqvi also warned that âcome what may, the PTI would not be allowed to stage a protest at D Chowk and even hinted of imposing a curfew if needed.â
Security sources also said that all necessary measures are being taken to counter terrorist activities by disruptive and extremist elements. âAll the miscreants are also being identified to bring them to justice,â the sources added.
Meanwhile, the PTI accused the authorities of using violence in which several of its supporters have been injured. A PTI spokesman told BBC Urdu that at least two supporters have also been killed but it was not confirmed from other sources so far.
Khan, 72, the PTI founder, has been in jail since August 5, 2023, and had given the âfinal callâ for the protest to force the authorities to release all prisoners, including himself, and also restore the alleged stolen mandate or victory of his party in February 8 elections as well as rescind the last month’s 26th constitutional amendment allowing the government more powers over judiciary.
Earlier on Sunday, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, the PTI supporters began their journey from the militancy-hit province with a mission to make it to D-Chowk in the national capital but faced obstacles on the roads.
The D-Chowk, close to several important government buildings: the Presidency, the PM Office, the Parliament, and the Supreme Court, is a prime location in the national capital.
The authorities had blocked the highways by placing shipping containers but the protestors accompanied by lifting equipment and other heavy machines worked their way by removing hurdles, but the hurdles did skittle their speed and plans.
The convoy entered Islamabad from Sangjani toll plaza. The party also shared footage of the KP convoy in Islamabadâs limits.
The government already banned rallies by imposing Section 144, a colonial era law used to outlaw political activities, as a high level delegation from Belarus was visiting Pakistan.
At least one policeman was killed and dozen others injured in clashes on Monday as thousands of the PTI protestors entered the territorial jurisdiction of the national capital. In one of the clashes, a policeman was killed at the Hakla interchange on Islamabad outskirts.
Another constable of the Sargodha police was injured due to âfiring by miscreantsâ and was being treated, local media said, adding, dozens of other policemen too were injured in the clashes, but exact details were not available.