Staff Report
RAWALPINDI: The PTI has started its countrywide protests against the attack on party Chairman Imran Khan.
Earlier, the party leadership said that they would start holding demonstrations countrywide after Friday prayers.
The party is staging protests in major cities across Pakistan including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Malakand, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, and Kohat, among others.
Khan’s supporters are also protesting in Rawalpindi’s Faizabad Interchange against the assassination attempt on him a day earlier.
Islamabad Police has been intermittently firing tear gas shells to disperse protestors in the area who resorted to stone-pelting on the police and Frontier Corps (FC). Meanwhile, Islamabad Police and FC have arrested several PTI workers in Islamabad. Murree Road has been closed to traffic in Rawalpindi.
Islamabad Police took to Twitter to inform the public about the situation in the twin cities. Earlier, protesters blocked Rawalpindi’s GT Road from both sides which affected traffic in the area. After workers ended their protests in Rawat, GT Road has been cleared for traffic. PTI’s women workers, on the other hand, left after protesting at the National Press Club. Agencies add, In Rawalpindi, protesters occupied Murree Road and Faizabad Interchange.
Moreover, they pelted stones at the police at Faizabad Interchange while law enforcement agencies resorted to shelling and baton-charging. Police is also employing the help of drones for shelling.
In a tweet, Islamabad Capital Police said “demonstrators are gathered with sticks, slingshots and stones, these protesters may also be armed”.
Due to the protest, diversions have been placed on both sides of traffic at Murree Road before Faizabad. Alternatively, commuters are asked to use Islamabad Highway and Stadium Road.
The police requested Rawalpindi administration to stop the protesters from illegal actions.
Islamabad Capital Police is busy identifying the miscreants and it will take legal action with the help of Rawalpindi Police, it said.
Young children are also present in the protesters, it said and requested parents to prevent their children from being part of any illegal activities.
