Supporters of jailed ex-PM rally in Pakistan despite police crackdown

Demonstrators rally, demanding Imran Khan beryllium released from jailhouse contempt a prohibition connected protests and constabulary crackdown.

Supporters of erstwhile Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan person rallied successful Islamabad to propulsion for Khan’s merchandise arsenic the constabulary blocked roads, chopped disconnected mobile net and fired teardrop state to deter the protesters.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) enactment connected Saturday claimed that the enactment person from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province, Ali Amin Gandapur, has been abducted and unlawfully detained. But Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claim.

Gandapur, the main curate of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was starring thousands of protesters who camped connected Islamabad-Peshwar road connected Friday overnight. Police utilized teas state arsenic they attempted to participate the city.

This is the latest successful a bid of protests held by supporters of the absorption Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which has faced a crackdown from authorities.

The PTI, which says the Islamabad protestation is conscionable for 1 day, besides held a gathering successful the eastbound metropolis of Lahore connected Saturday, wherever a lockdown of roads was successful place.

“I americium truthful arrogant of each our people,” said a connection from Khan posted connected the societal media tract X connected Saturday afternoon.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the protesters of clashing with police. “Over 80 constabulary officers person been injured successful the clashes,” helium said.

Naqvi had antecedently called connected the PTI to hold immoderate gathering until aft diplomatic engagements successful the city, including a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) gathering connected October 15-16 which volition beryllium attended by delegations, including from China, Russia and India.

PTI activists began driving to Islamabad connected Friday from his powerbase successful northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, but encountered shipping instrumentality roadblocks and volleys of teardrop gas.

Naqvi said the authorities had quality that the protesters planned to disrupt the SCO league successful a bid to summation attention.

“We can’t let this. I volition accidental to them again, to not transverse much reddish lines – don’t marque america instrumentality utmost steps,” Naqvi said.

‘Worrying clampdown’

Amnesty International said the communications cuts and roadworthy blockades “infringe connected people’s close to state of expression, entree to information, peaceful assembly and movement”.

“These restrictions are portion of a worrying clampdown connected the close to protestation successful Pakistan,” the rights radical said.

The societal media tract X has besides been blocked crossed Pakistan since aft the predetermination successful February, erstwhile mobile net was likewise chopped connected polling time and PTI has alleged wide vote-tampering took place.

The 72-year-old Khan served arsenic premier curate from 2018 to 2022, erstwhile helium was deposed successful a parliamentary no-confidence ballot aft falling retired with the almighty subject establishment, wide considered Pakistan’s governmental kingmakers.

He was imprisoned successful August past twelvemonth connected respective charges. Though his condemnation successful astir cases has either been overturned oregon suspended, helium continues to stay successful jail, facing proceedings successful different cases helium claims person been orchestrated to forestall his instrumentality to power.

Khan was barred from lasting successful the February elections, which the PTI alleges were rigged. Several different countries had raised “serious concerns” astir the fairness of the vote, but predetermination authorities successful Pakistan person denied the charges.

Last month, respective PTI lawmakers were arrested connected the premises of Pakistan’s parliament.

Source

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies