Casualties rise amidst Imran Khan’s ‘take over’ of Islamabad

At least six security personnel have lost their lives in clashes with Imran Khan’s supporters in Islamabad following two nights of intense protests. Estimates suggest that at least 40,000-50,000 protestors are present in Islamabad seeking to secure Imran Khan’s release from prison. The protestors demands include the return of what PTI calls its mandate and the release of other political prisoners.

The Government of Pakistan has so far exercised restraint, avoiding firing on protestors in order to minimise the casualties.

Imran Khan’s protestors however have attacked security forces leading to six deaths and over 120 injured according to security sources. The protest is led by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur, a Khan loyalist who also serves as the Chief Minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhua province. Major highways across Pakistan remain closed whilst internet and mobile data has also been restricted as part of the preventive measures exercised to restrict the flow of the ongoing protest.

Bushra Bibi has instructed PTI workers to camp at D Chowk, the nerve centre of the capital, Islamabad until Imran Khan is released. This protest has severe ramifications in Pakistan’s political landscape as the capital has been seized by a political force, despite multiple warnings by the government.

This protest comes at a critical time for Islamabad as the President of Belarus, Alexandar Lukashenko alongside a high level delegation is currently in the capital holding high level meetings with Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership.

The government has repeatedly claimed that PTI is conspiring against Pakistan’s foreign relations which is
why the protest date coincided with the Belarus delegation’s visit. Previously, Imran Khan called a protest at a time when Pakistan hosted the SCO Summit, leading the state to believe that PTI was conspiring to consistently damage Pakistan’s diplomatic capital. Imran Khan is currently in prison after being charged with corruption and violence against the state amongst various other cases.



The release of Imran Khan is dependent on the judiciary rather than the executive branch of government which is why government officials consider Imran Khan’s protest as a way of blackmailing the state into compliance. As of 26 November, thousands of PTI protestors are present in Islamabad whilst the state has yet to use force to disperse the crowds. Earlier, the government invoked Article 245 of the Constitution of Pakistan and asked the Pakistan Armed Forces to take control of the security of the capital. However, high level sources reveal that the state has not allowed security personnel to fire back in order to minimise the casualties. It is expected that the protest will last for at least three or four days, until a compromise is reached between the government and PTI.

Imran Khan, who remains the nation’s most popular politician received the highest number of votes in the general elections held on February 8th however he fell short of forming government due to the opposing coalition alliance having more parliamentarians and forming a majority. Insiders within PTI state that Imran Khan’s battle is not with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif or his party but with the country’s powerful military which is said to have the ultimate control of national policy behind the scenes. Thousands of PTI workers had previously been arrested in an effort to prevent the take over of Islamabad however now, the state is dealing with the crowds with a velvet glove, rather than an iron fist. Whilst political analysts predict that this protest is not likely to lead to Imran Khan’s release, some voices claim that the state will have to give in in order to reach a political compromise.

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