At least four Pakistan Rangers personnel were martyred and five others, including policemen, were injured after miscreants ran over security officials with a vehicle on Srinagar Highway during a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest.
The protests, ongoing since November 24, demand the release of PTI's founder from Adiala Jail. Security sources have reported that a total of 25 policemen have been martyred, while over 100 others have sustained injuries in the violent demonstrations.
Following the late-night attack, the Pakistan Army was deployed to Islamabad's streets under Article 245 of the Constitution. The military has been issued shoot-at-sight orders to maintain law and order.
The situation escalated Monday night when a PTI rally, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, entered the federal capital for a 'do-or-die' protest. Convoys from Hazara, DI Khan, and Balochistan joined Gandapur’s motorcade at the Hakla interchange. Bushra Bibi, the wife of the incarcerated PTI leader, along with senior PTI officials, also accompanied the rally.
Attempts at negotiation between the government and PTI reportedly failed earlier in the day. Government representatives, including Amir Muqam, Ayaz Sadiq, and Mohsin Naqvi, met with PTI leaders Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, and Barrister Gohar at the Minister's Enclave. However, no agreement was reached, further fueling tensions.
The volatile situation in Islamabad remains a critical security challenge as the protests continue to disrupt the federal capital.