The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, leading the main convoy from Peshawar, declaring that the protest will continue until further instructions.
According to reports, the PTI convoy, led by Gandapur, reached China Chowk, where protesters removed barriers and clashed with security personnel. Tear gas shelling by law enforcement continued as protesters pushed forward, setting trees on fire along the green belt in retaliation.
Some of the workers who had managed to reach D-Chowk were pushed back by security forces. Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi's convoy is currently stationed between Kulsoom Plaza Chowk and China Chowk.
Sources say security forces are gearing up to launch an operation to clear D-Chowk and China Chowk of the protesters, as all markets and petrol pumps in F6 and G6 near the Red Zone have been shut. Petrol pumps around Blue Area and Red Zone have been shut off with tents, and lights also switched off around the region.
A heavy contingent of law enforcement agencies is present on Fazal Haq and Nazimuddin Road.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, speaking to Samaa TV, urged party workers to remain peaceful and avoid vandalism. “Our founder waged a peaceful political struggle for 27 years. I appeal to all workers who have reached Islamabad to stay calm and refrain from sabotage,” said Gohar.
Also Read: Bushra Bibi-led PTI convoy reaches D-Chowk amid army deployment, heavy shelling
The PTI chairman also called on the government to exercise restraint. “The authorities must avoid using violence against unarmed workers,” he emphasized. He also said he was hopeful for an early release of the party's founder Imran Khan.
A short while ago, the protest convoy of the PTI, led by Bushra Bibi, reached D-Chowk in Islamabad after traveling from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it encountered intense resistance.
In response to escalating violence, police have begun heavy shelling to disperse the protesters, while PTI workers are retaliating by pelting stones at the law enforcement officials. Tear gas is being fired in an attempt to control the crowd, but the situation continues to deteriorate as clashes intensify.
Also Read: Mohsin Naqvi grants police full powers as PTI convoy reaches D-Chowk
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi emphasized that the government's first priority remains the protection of the Red Zone, which includes D-Chowk. He asserted that the police have been given full authority to deal with the situation, aiming to avoid any loss of life, despite the protesters’ heavy resistance.
Naqvi also highlighted that the protests were jeopardizing the safety of high-profile foreign dignitaries, including the President of Belarus, who is in the capital for official engagements.
The Pakistan Army, which had already been deployed to safeguard key government buildings in the Red Zone under Article 245 of the Constitution, took full control of D-Chowk.
