Pakistan: Imran Khan’s PTI calls off Islamabad protest after government crackdown

Supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, throw stones towards police officers during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, November 26, 2024. (AP)

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Wednesday that the protest in Islamabad, which began on November 24, has been called off, Geo News reported.
The decision follows a crackdown by law enforcement agencies that dispersed protesters from the Red Zone. The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, left the protest site during the operation.
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In a press release, the PTI media cell said, “In light of the government’s brutality and plans to turn the federal capital into a slaughterhouse for unarmed citizens, we are announcing the temporary suspension of our peaceful protest.” The party added that it would decide its next steps based on guidance from Imran Khan.
The protests began as part of a larger movement by PTI to demand the release of Imran Khan, who has been in jail since August. Thousands of protesters gathered in Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses key government buildings.
The demonstrations led to clashes that left at least six people dead, including four security personnel.