Imran Khan supporters breach lockdown in Pakistan’s Islamabad
Al Jazeera
Police use tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters who defied a ban to march inside the country’s capital.
Supporters seeking the release of Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan broke through a ring of shipping containers locking down the capital, Islamabad, battled police, and ignored a government threat to respond with gunfire.
Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds on Tuesday, with reports of several people killed in clashes. Dozens more were injured, including journalists who were attacked by Khan’s supporters, who also beat a videographer covering the protests for The Associated Press news agency and broke his camera.
Shortly after midnight, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi threatened security forces would respond with live fire if protesters fired weapons at them.
“If they again fire bullets, the bullet will be responded with the bullet,” he said.
Khan, who has been in jail for more than a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, remains popular. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party says the cases are politically motivated.
