Thousands of supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan have defied a government lockdown and gathered in the heart of Pakistan’s barricaded capital, demanding his release from prison and denouncing recent constitutional amendments.
The protests, organized by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, reached Islamabad’s Democracy Square (D-Chowk) on Tuesday, November 26, amid clashes with heavily armed security forces. Tear gas and rubber bullets were fired to disperse demonstrators, who wielded slingshots and sticks to overcome barricades.
Imran Khan, 72, has been in jail since August 2023 on charges including corruption and instigating violence, charges he vehemently denies as politically motivated. Khan called for protests from his jail cell, urging supporters to stay peaceful but resolute.
“My message to my team is to fight till the end; we will not back down,” Khan wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on November 26. He accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi of ordering police and paramilitary forces to fire on protesters, resulting in casualties.
“I have a message for those threatening a trial in a military court: do what you have to do, I will not back down from my position,” Khan declared in his statement, calling on supporters who had not yet reached Democracy Square to make their way there.
Convoys of PTI supporters began their journey to Islamabad on Sunday, November 24, from party strongholds, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, notably led a major convoy alongside Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
According to the Ministry of Interior, four paramilitary rangers and two policemen have been killed and dozens injured in clashes since Monday, November 25. The protests have seen over 4,000 arrests nationwide since the demonstrations began.
“These disruptive elements do not seek revolution but bloodshed,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday, November 25, as he received Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Rawalpindi during a pre-scheduled diplomatic visit.
The PTI protesters outlined several demands, including:
- Release of Imran Khan and Political Prisoners: They call for the immediate release of PTI leaders and members detained since Khan’s initial arrest in May 2023.
- Judicial Independence: Protesters oppose the 26th constitutional amendment, passed in October. This amendment set a fixed three-year term for the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice and restricted its powers by introducing specialized “constitutional benches.” PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub Khan, argue these changes ” suffocate a free judiciary.”
- Reclaiming a ‘Stolen Mandate’: Following the February 2024 general elections, PTI emerged as the largest bloc despite being banned from contesting as a party. However, allegations of vote rigging allowed a six-party coalition to form a government. PTI accuses the coalition of being “mandate thieves.”
Khan’s political career has been marred by legal battles, with over 150 cases filed against him. His arrest in May 2023 sparked nationwide protests, and his subsequent detention in August was linked to allegations of illegally selling state gifts.
In January, Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were convicted of involvement in a corruption case concerning the illegal sale of state gifts. Both were sentenced to jail and fined over $2 million each.
The court found the couple guilty of illegally profiting from state gifts during Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister. These gifts included perfumes, dinner sets, and diamond jewelry.
While the exact nature of Bushra Bibi’s involvement is unclear, Khan’s political allies saw her conviction as an effort to pressure the former prime minister.
Gohar Ali Khan, acting chairman and lawyer of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, described the charges as politically motivated and aimed at undermining Khan’s influence.
Bushra Bibi, also known as Bushra Maneka before her marriage to Khan, is a spiritual adviser and former faith healer. She met Khan when he sought her counsel on Sufism, a mystical Islamic tradition focused on inner spirituality and detachment from material concerns.
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The Supreme Court initially ordered his release in May, but his re-arrest and sentencing have kept him behind bars. PTI maintains that the charges were an act by political rivals and the military to suppress dissent.
Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 until his ousting via a no-confidence vote in April 2022, remains prevalent.
The ongoing protests highlight the deepening rift between Khan’s supporters and the current coalition government, which includes the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The unrest comes amid worsening economic challenges and growing public frustration with governance.
As Islamabad remains under lockdown, the protests show no signs of abating. Protesters have vowed to stay in Democracy Square until their demands are met, setting the stage for a prolonged standoff between Khan’s supporters and the government.
