Mobile phone, internet services remain suspended in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore n Police seal off major roads, crossings, entry points by placing large containers n Six KP policemen arrested from D-Chowk n Spokesman claims dozens of policemen injured in day long clashes.
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - Life in Islamabad and Lahore was severely disrupted by violent clashes between police and Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) protesters on Saturday, thanks to authorities who sealed off Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore besides blocking internet and mobile phone services to prevent the gathering.
Islamabad and Lahore remained tense for the second day on Saturday as PTI took out protest rallies and clashed with police on the streets to demand the release of party founder Imran Khan. The protesters defied heavy police blockades and road closures. Saturday’s protest march coincided with Khan’s birthday.
The call for protest was given by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder who has been incarcerated at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail for more than a year. The Red Zone of Islamabad witnessed intense clashes between PTI workers and police, especially at D Chowk, where both the police and protesters engaged in prolonged confrontations. The PTI workers pelted police with stones while law enforcement officials responded with tear gas shelling. Despite multiple efforts to disperse the crowd, the protesters regrouped and launched fresh assaults, keeping the situation tense throughout the day on Saturday.
Major highways and mobile services were suspended, creating significant difficulties for citizens in both cities. In Islamabad, mobile and internet services were suspended, and Metro bus services also came to a halt, causing transportation woes. Containers were placed at the key entry and exit points of the cities, including Faizabad, D Chowk, and 26 No Chungi, to control the flow of protesters.
The blockage of roads resulted in severe traffic congestion, making commuting nearly impossible. On Saturday evening, police started shelling in Jinnah Avenue and Blue Area, as a large number of PTI protesters pelted the forces with stones at China Chowk. Severe clashes were ongoing between the police and protesters on Jinnah Avenue as well, with police personnel resorting to shooting rubber bullets and tear-gas shelling near China Chowk, while the protesters pelted police with stones near Kulsoom Chowk. The protesters also set fire at different locations on the Jinnah Avenue.
On Saturday morning, complete silence was observed in D Chowk of Islamabad, as police and army troops patrol the area. The Islamabad police tried to restrict the PTI protesters to the stock exchange.
The entrances to Islamabad remain blocked by containers, with roads such as the Express Highway, Blue Area and D Chowk plunged into darkness as street lights were switched off to control the protests. Faizabad, one of the central points of the protest, has become a hotspot for violent clashes, with police shelling continuing intermittently, and all roads of the area closed with containers.
The protests, which started on Friday night, led to the arrest of 20 to 25 PTI workers by the Islamabad police from 26 No Chungi. A large contingent of police, Anti-Riot Force, and Frontier Corps personnel has been deployed to maintain order, particularly in sensitive areas like Faizabad and D Chowk.
PTI took to X (formerly Twitter) to share videos alleging that the security forces were using tear gas against protesters. In Islamabad, mobile services remained suspended, while major roads and entry points were blocked by containers. A similar situation was seen in Rawalpindi, which is adjacent to Islamabad. Six serving personnel of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police, dressed in civilian clothing, were arrested at D-Chowk, Islamabad. According to sources, these individuals were reportedly involved in attacks against law enforcement agencies.
The arrested officers were armed with tear gas, slingshots, and stones, actively participating in assaults against law enforcement personnel. Additionally, five more serving officers from KP Police, including two from the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and three from the regular police, were apprehended by law enforcement agencies while attempting to escape in police vehicles near Attock.
They were also in civilian attire. A large quantity of tear gas shells, batons, and stones was recovered from these five officers during their arrest.
PTI founder to decide future course of action: CM Gandapur
Speaking to journalists ahead of entering KP House in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said that incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan will decide the future course of action regarding protest. The chief minister said that they have reached here after recording their “peaceful protest”. “We have recorded our protest,” he added.
The chief minister was of the view that they would announce their future strategy after receiving directions from the PTI founder. Over 80 police personnel have been injured in clashes with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan taking part in a march near Islamabad, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday.
“The convoy, led by the chief minister, fired on the police and continuously used teargas against law-enforcers,” Naqvi told journalists.
He said more than 80 police officers had been treated for injuries since Friday, when clashes broke out just outside the city during an anti-government rally.
Authorities sealed off Islamabad and blocked cellphone services to prevent the gathering. Islamabad is on high alert ahead of a series of top-level diplomatic events scheduled over the next two weeks, including a visit by India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Naqvi said while the convoy was heavily armed, the police had been instructed not to carry weapons to prevent the situation from escalating. The government has deployed the army to enhance security in Islamabad. The protesters plan to gather in the city’s red zone, which houses the country’s parliament and a fortified enclave of foreign embassies. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party denies using violence, and says it wants to hold a peaceful gathering.
Naqvi had previously called on the PTI to delay any gathering until after diplomatic engagements in the city, including a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on October 15-16 which will be attended by delegations, including from China, Russia and India.
On Saturday, Naqvi said the authorities had intelligence that the protesters planned to disrupt the SCO conference in a bid to gain attention.
“We can’t allow this. I will say to them again, to not cross more red lines - don’t make us take extreme steps,” Naqvi said.
The PTI, which says the Islamabad protest is just for one day, is also holding a gathering in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday, where a lockdown of roads is in place.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a press briefing at D-Chowk on Saturday, warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership headed by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur not to disrupt law-and-order situation ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
He stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has “crossed all limits” but continues to test the patience of the federal government. Naqvi accused the PTI leadership of tasking CM Gandapur to disrupt a law-and-order situation ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit where international heads of state are set to arrive in Pakistan for the first time in years.
“Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur is leading a mob with the intent to storm Islamabad. He is fully responsible for the current situation,” Naqvi said, emphasizing Gandapur’s role in orchestrating unrest.
Though Gandapur holds a prominent provincial office, Naqvi warned that there would be consequences for his actions. “He will have to pay the price,” said Naqvi. “I still urge the CM and PTI leadership to avoid clashes and not force law enforcement agencies into taking extreme measures.”
Despite repeated requests from the federal government to prevent escalation, Gandapur has ignored these warnings, according to Naqvi.
To counter the potential threat, the government has deployed police, Rangers and Frontier Corps (FC), and even called in the Pakistan Army to ensure peace and security.
“The government is unclear about PTI’s specific demands, but it seems their real aim is to sabotage the SCO summit,” Naqvi remarked.
He added that dialogue could only happen if Gandapur showed seriousness, stating, “Dialogue is not possible alongside attempts to storm the capital.”
When asked about the possibility of imposing an emergency in KPK and arresting the chief minister under Article 6 of the constitution, Naqvi responded that the president and prime minister are in close contact, and all political leadership has been consulted. The interior ministry will implement the agreed-upon strategy in due course.
In a concerning development, Naqvi revealed that Islamabad police have arrested 120 Afghan nationals in the last 48 hours, an alarming sign for the government. Naqvi also criticized PTI protestors, accusing them of opening fire on police near Pathar Garh and using tear gas shells in large quantities.
He questioned how the protestors acquired the tear gas shells and pointed out that this was not a peaceful protest, as claimed by PTI. “Protestors are armed and have been inciting violence, while law enforcement remains unarmed. However, they are pushing the boundaries, forcing us to consider harsher measures to maintain peace,” Naqvi said, disclosing that 80 to 85 police officers have been injured and were shifted to hospitals for first aid.
Naqvi concluded by reiterating the government’s resolve to safeguard the upcoming SCO summit, stating, “Prime Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has made it clear that no one will be allowed to sabotage this important event.”