NEW DELHI: Pakistani security forces launched a crackdown on Tuesday night, arresting several protesters from former prime minister Imran Khan’s party during a sit-in in Islamabad demanding his release. The operation came two days after violent clashes that left six people dead.

Defying curfew and government warnings, thousands of Imran Khan’s supporters breached barriers in Islamabad's high-security zone, clashing with security forces.

The protesters faced tear gas, gunfire, and mass detentions in the latest escalation.
Tension in Islamabad has been rising since Sunday, when Imran Khan's supporters started a ‘long march’ from the northwest, calling for his release.

Imran Khan, imprisoned for over a year, faces more than 150 criminal charges, which his party claims are politically motivated.

The protest was led by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, but she fled as police pushed back against the demonstrators. Hundreds of Khan’s supporters have been arrested in the ongoing nighttime operation, and authorities are also seeking to arrest Bibi.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that the red zone, which houses government buildings and embassies and surrounding areas has been cleared. Leaders from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have also fled the protest site.

Earlier on Tuesday, Pakistan’s army took control of D-Chowk, a large square in the red zone, where visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was staying.

Authorities have struggled to contain the violence linked to the ongoing protests. Six people, including four security personnel, were killed when a vehicle rammed them overnight into Tuesday. A police officer also died in a separate incident.

By Tuesday afternoon, new-wave protesters reached their destination in the red zone without opposition. Many demonstrators carried flags of Khan's party to show support.
Naqvi said that Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI had rejected the government's offer to hold the rally on the city's outskirts.

The government insists that only the courts can order Khan’s release, following his removal in 2022 via a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

To control the unrest, police have detained over 4,000 of Khan's supporters since Friday and imposed mobile and internet service suspensions in multiple regions, while messaging platforms in the capital face severe disruptions.