The army was called in by the Shehbaz Sharif government in the early hours on Thursday to protect the Red Zone of Islamabad as former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan entered the capital with his Azadi march. The government said Army has been deployed to protect important buildings like Supreme Court, Parliament House, Prime Minister House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat and Diplomatic Enclaves. Also Read: ‘No petrol in any station, no cash in ATMs’: Pakistan’s Mohammad Hafeez
Here are the top 10 updates on the Islamabad crisis:
1. Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted Imran Khan’s party to hold his Azadi march near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 area of Islamabad and restrained the government from arresting PTI workers.
2. However, clashes between the party workers and the police broke out in several places — in Punjab, Lahore and Karachi — before the march entered Islamabad.
3. Imran Khan’s party PTI claimed police opened fire on people who gathered in Lahore’s Liberty Chowk area in support of Imran Khan’s march.
4. In Punjab’s Attock, the protesters brought a crane to remove containers that were placed on their way to block the march.
5. PTI leader Yasmin Rashod said the windshield of her vehicle was broken by the police when she was on her way to Islamabad. PTI workers torched trees in the Blue area of Islamabad.
6. Just before Imran Khan entered Islamabad, reports of continuous tear gas shelling in the Blue Area emerged.
7. Pakistan’s Geo News reported its office came under the attack of the PTI workers injuring some media workers. No police personnel were present outside of the building for its security, it reported.
8. Imran Khan on Wednesday warned his supporters would not vacate D-Chowk until a date for fresh polls was announced by the Shehbaz Sharif government.
9. Imran Khan on Wednesday dismissed rumours of any deal with the government. “Absolutely not! We are moving towards Islamabad & no question of any deal. We will remain in Islamabad till announcement of dates for dissolution of assemblies & elections are given. Calling all ppl of Islamabad & Pindi to join,” he had tweeted.
