Protests turn violent in Pakistan, 4 thousand Imran Khan supporters arrested

In India's neighboring country Pakistan, a protest was held in the capital Islamabad on 24 November. The government deployed a police force to stop this protest. A security officer said that Pakistan Police has arrested more than 4 thousand supporters. This protest was held to demand the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Shahid Nawaz, a security official in Punjab province, confirmed the arrests of supporters, including five MPs. The government took several steps to prevent the protests. Authorities sealed Islamabad with shipping containers and closed major roads connecting the city to PTI strongholds in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Former PTI party chief Imran Khan announced this protest on November 13. He said that this protest was to break the shackles of slavery. The PTI party is trying to put pressure on the government so that its leaders imprisoned in jail can be released. Imran Khan has been in jail for the last 1 year in more than 150 cases.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko will be on a visit to Pakistan from 25 to 27 November. On 24 November, 80 members of his delegation arrived in the country. Due to this, the Pakistani government made every possible effort to stop this protest of PTI.

Schools closed, the internet down, Section 144 imposed.

The protest turned violent and clashes broke out between police and PTI supporters. Tear gas was also fired. As a precaution, the government suspended internet, mobile services, and public transport in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. All schools and colleges in Islamabad and Punjab province have been ordered to be closed on Monday.

The country's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi had said that government buildings would be sealed and if anyone tried to reach them, they would be arrested. To stop PTI workers from moving forward, large containers were placed on 37 roads of Islamabad, pictures of which also surfaced.

Also, security forces were deployed in large numbers to prevent protests. Special arrangements have been made for the security of all important government buildings including Parliament and Supreme Court. Section 144 was imposed in the city and public gatherings were also banned for two months.

According to Pakistani media, the protests by Imran Khan's PTI party have caused a loss of more than PKR 2.7 billion to the government treasury in the last 18 months. This includes the cost of destruction of public and private property.