Pakistan Unrest: Army Deployed In Islamabad As Imran Khan Vows To Continue 'Azadi March'

After being ousted by a no-trust vote, Imran Khan urged “all Pakistanis” to come to the streets to seek complete freedom. 

Police fire tear gas to disperse supporters of Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan, during a protest rally in Karachi on May 25, 2022.

Source : AFP

New Delhi: As the political unrest grows in Pakistan, the newly elected Priem Minister Shehbaz Sharif had to call in the army to protect the red zone as the protest march called by former PM Imran Khan entered Islamabad on Thursday, news agency ANI reported. 

“Pursuant to the law and order situation in the Islamabad Capital Territory, the Federal Government, in the exercise of powers conferred under Article 245 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, authorises deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army," Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said in a government order posted on Twitter.

“The Federal Government is pleased to authorize deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army in Red Zone under Article 245,” he wrote with the order. 

The Federal Government is pleased to authorize deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army in Red Zone under Article 245. pic.twitter.com/85Nex2xama

— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@PresPMLNPunjab) May 25, 2022

The army was deployed to "protect important government buildings" when Imran Khan entered the capital. The decision was taken for the protection of important government buildings including the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Parliament House, Presidency, Prime Minister's Office, and others, ANI reported. 

Pakistan is in the grip of a tense situation as clashes broke out between police and Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf’s workers as the police stopped them from entering D-chowk. The clashes were followed by a warning by Imran Khan saying that his party workers would not vacate D-chowk until a fresh date for polls is announced. 

After being ousted by a no-trust vote, Imran Khan urged “all Pakistanis” to come to the streets to seek complete freedom. 

The protest march and the handling of the same by authorities have become a point of concern for human rights activists. 

"We believe that all citizens and all political parties have every right to assemble and protest peacefully," the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) tweeted. 

"The state's overreaction has triggered, more than it has prevented, violence on the streets. The onus is on the government and opposition leaders to adopt a mature, democratic response and immediately begin a dialogue to end the impasse," the group added.

On Wednesday, Pakistan Supreme Court restricted the government from arresting Imran Khan and allowed PTI to hold a sit-in protest at the H-9 ground area of Islamabad. PTI also assured the top court that they would hold a peaceful protest and would not damage public property. 

(With Agency Inputs)