When PTI (Pakistan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf) leader Imran Khan’s caravan finally arrived in Islamabad as part of his party’s “Haqeeqi Azadi March,” the federal government approved the use of the army in the capital’s red-light district to “protect key government buildings.”
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah tweeted a notification saying the government was “delighted to authorize the deployment” of the army in the Red Zone under Article 245 of the Constitution.
The statement said, “Buildings to be protected are the Supreme Court, Parliament House, Prime Minister’s House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat and diplomatic enclaves”.
Imran Khan Supporters and party officials have already reached the capital’s infamous D-Chowk and await their leader amid police brutality.
Previously, police officers had fired tear gas at party staff and supporters on numerous occasions.PTI leaders Aliya Hamza Malik, Munawara Bibi Baloch, Nausheen Hamid and Ghazala Saifee fell unconscious under heavy tear gas fire.
Several female protesters fell unconscious after inhaling tear gas fired by riot police in D-Chowk. Police fired tear gas grenades directly at demonstrators, including women and children, in another attempt to disperse them.
A citizen said that the police also use rubber bullets. A police team also began stoning vehicles of citizens arriving at the scene. Heavy tear gas hit PTI protesters and G6, G5 and G7 residents in Embassy Road, Parliament Lodges, Melody and suburbs.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s core convoy entered the Islamabad facility and was due to arrive at DChowk shortly.
It was announced earlier that police had completed preparations for an operation to disperse workers from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during the ongoing long march in the Red Zone.
Police teams were supplied with tear gas canisters. The site of the PTI long march, DChowk, is surrounded by police equipment, while reserve police refuse to reach the area due to a lack of adequate riot gear.
Officers have gathered outside Aabpara Police Station. It is important to note here that the Islamabad government has closed all exit routes from the Red Zone, leaving legislators and media teams there besieged.
