At least 30 protesters have been arrested as police furnace tear gasoline to disperse PT protesters trying to attain Islamabad’s D-Chowk for a deliberate celebration rally.
Incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan now once more referred to as his supporters accumulated for a “peaceful protest” as his birthday party amped up preparations for today’s demonstration notwithstanding a ban on gatherings. Another one is additionally scheduled for Lahore’s Minari-Pakistan on Saturday.
The PTI has carried out a couple of rallies throughout the United States in recent weeks, protesting towards the “illegal” imprisonment of its founder and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s extent in imposing the reserved seat verdict, as nicely as to “save the Constitution”. Ahead of its rallies in Islamabad and Lahore previously this month, the authorities had issued a set of strict guidelines, which the PTI failed to comply with fully, sparking clashes between its employees and the authorities.
The PTI nowadays shared updates of its caravans departing more than a few cities, no matter being warned by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi a day in the past no longer to preserve any rally in Islamabad due to many high-profile visits through overseas dignitaries.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with whom the PTI has been in regular amicable contact recently, has additionally advised the birthday celebration to delay its deliberate gatherings until the foreigners have left.
The police have blocked all entry and factors to the cities and tear gasoline shelling has additionally begun in an strive to disperse protesters.
Talking to the media at D-Chowk, Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said: “Proceedings are beneath way at any place there are tries to damage police or injury property. Till now, there have been over 30 arrests. We are updating the specific numbers. It is very clear that we have a clear message that we will no longer permit the regulation to be taken into personal hands.”
Footage shared through the PTI confirmed the arrests of its supporters. “Release Imran! Release Imran!” dozens of protesters chanted, protecting pics of Imran and PTI flags, much less than a kilometer from the pink zone.
Visuals additionally confirmed Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum being taken away via the police whilst the birthday party claimed that she was once arrested.
KP authorities spokesperson Barrister Saif alleged that Uzma Khanum used to be additionally arrested.
The birthday celebration also alleged that the police had laid caltraps on the roads, sharing pictures as well.
A Dawn.com correspondent mentioned that roads main to the Red Zone and D-Chowk have been sealed from all sides, inclusive of Serena, Jinnah Avenue, Nadra Square, Marriott Hotel, and Zero Point. Entry factors of the twin cities, Srinagar Highway at Bus Stop 26, Faizabad Chowk, Sanjgani Toll Plaza, Margalla Road, and Ninth Avenue have been additionally closed.
Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani stated in an announcement that safety used to be on excessive alert and pillion-riding was once banned, including that cell community and metro bus offerings have been suspended indefinitely. The officers additionally stated that different routes inside Islamabad have been probable to be blocked after 2 pm to stop the entry of PTI workers. Islamabad Police additionally posted a reminder on its X account of Section hundred and forty-four being “in force” in the federal capital.
“Citizens are requested no longer to be section of any unlawful activity. The regulation will act towards these who disturb peace and order,” the police said, including that humans ought to have a look at site visitors’ advisories for street closures whilst traveling.
On Wednesday, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) authorities enforced Section hundred and forty-four and the Peaceful Assembly Act throughout the federal capital, prohibiting gatherings and processions in confined areas as a phase of tightened protection measures. According to the ICT police, the high-security zone, Red Zone, and surrounding areas have been targeted as restricted.
Meanwhile, Naqvi stated no one would be allowed to harm public property.
“We have made preparations for the protection of our overseas guests. Apologies for the inconvenience to the residents of Islamabad. Protesters ought to take inventory of their senses. Visitors ought to sense that they are journeying a secure country,” stated an announcement issued through national broadcaster PTV.
He visited D-Chowk with the Islamabad police chief and suggested personnel to hold regulation and order.
The indoor minister additionally carried out an aerial inspection to assess the typical protection preparations and expressed his delight with them. He gave guidelines to strictly deal with any miscreants.
“No one will be allowed to disturb the regulation and order state of affairs in the capital. Islamabad administration and police are equipped to deal with each feasible situation. All feasible steps will be taken to keep regulation and order and shield the lives and property of the citizens,” he said.
Separately, the federal authorities accredited the army’s deployment in the federal capital from Oct 5 to 17 for the safety of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and to keep regulation and order. The notification from the indoor ministry stated the specific vicinity of deployment alongside the number of troops would be decided later.
Barrister Saif vows PTI to attain D-Chowk at any cost
Saif lashed out at the indoors minister and stated the whole country used to see the “state oppression” on display.
‘Doosra Rukh with Nadir Guramani’, Saif maintained that PTI activists and supporters would attain D Chowk and protest “at any cost”.
“Our procession from KP has reached Punjab at Burhan interchange,” Saif said. “Police are losing their tear fuel due to the fact we will attain D-Chowk.”The spokesperson brought up that the authorities broke itself through digging trenches on the motorway and stacking containers to seal off the city.
“As our plans unfold, they will discover that their plans have failed,” he added. “The human beings understand this is a pretend authority and we will arrive in D-Chowk to protest.”Asked if there was once a timeframe for the protest, comparable to the rallies in Lahore and Sangjani, Saif replied that there used to be now not any, calling the rally an “open task”.
“This is an open challenge with no time constraints,” he explained. “Imran Khan has ordered us to go to D-Chowk, we will no longer flip around.”
Saif clarified that preceding rallies had time constraints due to the fact the birthday party had utilized for no-objection certificates on these occasions. “We have to get there, whether or not it takes days. We will protest when we get there, if wished we will spend the night,” Saif declared. When asked if the PTI used to be in contact with every person from the federal government, Barrister Saif stated that neither birthday party used to be in contact with the other.
“Nobody from the authorities has reached out to us and we no longer understand them, so there is no contact from our side,” he said, calling the authorities “fake”. “We achieve nothing through talking,” Saif added.
The spokesperson answered to the indoors minister’s questioning whether or not PTI individuals had been “Pakistanis” or not. “As far as the indoors minister is concerned, there is no doubt that Gandapur and I are Pakistanis, as are all the protesters coming to D-Chowk,” he stated.
Saif additionally replied to and denied claims by using the Punjab authorities that PTI activists had been coming to Islamabad armed with weapons. “We do no longer have any weapons, I warranty that,” he reiterated. “We have no intention of bringing weapons or the usage of them.”
“Does every person trust that we can come up with the money to deliver weapons to a rally the place where there will be girls and children?” Saif asked.
“We will no longer fire, I warranty it. There will now not be any violence. However, if there is violence in opposition to us, we have the proper to self-defence,” Saif stated.
Caravans go away as Imran renews protest call
According to a publication on Imran’s X account conveying his “message to the public”, the ex-premier referred to as everybody to attain D-Chowk for a peaceable protest.
He additionally entreated these dwellings in Lahore to get prepared for tomorrow’s deliberate gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan.
“This combat is in its decisive phase, via the grace of Allah we are triumphing the combat for our authentic freedom,” the put-up said.
PTI MNA Qasim Khan Suri reposted a video of containers purportedly blockading Islamabad’s streets, announcing that the authorities need to “wear bangles and be given its defeat” if it was once “depriving its residents of their fundamental right” to protest.
The party’s Lahore chapter shared purported visuals of its leaders departing from more than a few cities throughout KP, inclusive of Swabi, Battagram, and Bajaur.
PTI MPA Abdul Munim informed that a massive variety of contributors coming from distinctive areas of KP have been becoming a member of a rally in Swabi, which would then proceed to Islamabad.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and different PTI lawmakers have vowed to attend the D-Chowk rally, warning authorities of retaliating if they had been stopped from getting into the capital.
Barrister Saif stated the PTI rally close to Burhan Interchange used to be subjected to “considerable shelling” with the use of tear gasoline and rubber bullets. He criticized the government for championing its democratic credentials whilst stopping the loads from exercising their democratic right. The Punjab authorities had imposed an area of one hundred forty-four in quite several cities, prompting allegations from the PTI of growing a curfew-like scenario to hinder its protests. In Mianwali, the ban used to be positioned on Tuesday for seven days.
In Lahore, the Punjab domestic secretary imposed Section forty-four for six days from Oct three in a bid to foil the PTI protest on Saturday. Sources stated the authorities were once now not going to locate containers at the entry and exit factors of Lahore. Instead, they would set up pickets the place where the rangers and police would intercept protesters.
“Since the authorities have imposed Section 144, the police have been accredited to arrest protesters,” a supply had stated and brought the government’s motion in Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, and Mianwali on Wednesday had given a sturdy message to the PTI to maintain Lahore ‘calm and peaceable tomorrow’.
The provincial authorities additionally imposed Section 144(6) in Rawalpindi, Attock, and Sargodha, banning all types of political gatherings, sit-ins, meetings, demonstrations, and protests for three days.
According to a notification issued by the Punjab Home Department dated October three — a replica of which is on hand with Dawn — Section a hundred and forty-four has been imposed in Rawalpindi, Attock, and Sargodha from these days until Sunday. The ban used to be determined on the suggestion of the district administration to set up regulation and order, and safety of human lives and property citing “security threats” and claiming that public gatherings can be a “soft target” for terrorists. The Punjab Home Department additionally despatched a letter to the indoor ministry soliciting the offerings of Rangers. Six agencies of Rangers had been known in Rawalpindi and Attock for October four and five and three agencies had been requisitioned in Lahore for October 5. The domestic branch additionally issued a notification to install 10 platoons of Frontier Constabulary in Attock to “maintain regulation and order situation”.
The branch additionally banned pillion use in Rawalpindi and Attock districts these days and the next day under Section 144, pronouncing that there have been “credible hazard alerts” that posed an excessive danger to the public through “miscreants and different anti-social elements” associated with the existing regulation and order and protest situation.
PTI Central Information Secretary condemned a “brutal attack” on Dawn.com correspondent Tahir Naseer all through his insurance of the protest.
“It has come to be a standard behavior of capital police toward newshounds who go to superb lengths to exhibit the actual image to loads in Pakistani. PTI stands with all journalists who face all sorts of risks in the line of duty.”
The Islamabad Crime Reporters Association (ICRA) additionally strongly condemned the “brutal assault”. An announcement issued stated that the ICRA demanded an instant investigation into the incident and stern motion towards those responsible.
It brought that as per Naseer, police demanded his press card, which he provided, however, the reputable didn’t return his pockets later on. Questioning this, the reporter used to be allegedly slapped by a sub-inspector and overwhelmed with a shovel. It delivered that the police additionally tried to take his cellular phone.
ICRA President Qamar ul Munawar advised the Islamabad police chief to straight away drop the police personnel worried in the alleged incident, make sure of obvious investigations, and shield journalists’ rights.
“Journalists have to no longer face intimidation or violence whilst performing duties,” Munawar said.
Amnesty blasts web shutdown
Amnesty International blasted the measures imposed by the authorities to obstruct the PTI rally, pronouncing they infringed on people’s proper freedom of expression, entry to information, peaceable meetings, and movement.
“These restrictions are section of an annoying clampdown on the proper to protest in Pakistan via net shutdowns, mass arrests, illegal use of pressure and arbitrary imposition of Section 144.”
Amnesty known as one of the authorities to right now restorative conversation networks, admires the proper to protest, chorus from use of any illegal pressure in opposition to peaceable protesters, and straight away launches all these arrested today. Govt ministers name on PTI to give up protest for the country’s sake Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar He recommended CM Gandapur fulfill his duties and take steps for rate management in his province, inclusive of the regulation and order situation.
He stated it was once unlucky that Imran gave the name for a march in the direction of D-Chowk when the Malay PM used to be in the city.
He stated the SCO summit used to be an amazing honor for Pakistan and that agitation on this event would supply a bad message about the country.
“We have to exhibit the tender and wonderful identification of Pakistan to the world,” Tarar said, including that the opposition needed to protest on the flooring of parliament. The minister stated at a time when the entire world was once appreciating Pakistan’s financial development, the opposition had to additionally renowned it.
Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik uttered comparable remarks at some stage in a press convention and entreated the PTI to reflect on consideration of the SCO moot’s timing. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari stated that CM Gandapur was no longer coming to Islamabad for a political strength exhibit however to unfold chaos.
She lashed out that the PTI did now not consider political struggle, in contrast to others concerned with politics. “The humans of Punjab have rejected the politics of chaos and unrest,” she added.
Bukhari warned that “those who pushed the u . s . a . closer to global isolation” have been once more attempting identical tactics. The minister stated that the regulation would take its path if all and sundry tried to create unrest.
