Protests continue for 2nd day against assassination attempt on Pakistan’s ex-premier

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Supporters of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan clashed with police in many cities of the country on Friday as they continued to protest the attempted assassination on their leader in Wazirabad district of northeastern Punjab province.

There have been reports of arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party workers in certain places, although officials have yet to release details.

Thousands took to the streets after Friday prayers in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Quetta, Swat, Khan’s home town Mianwali, and other cities, in response to a protest call given by his party.

Khan was shot and injured while he was leading a “long march” on the capital Islamabad on Thursday.

At least one person was killed and over a dozen others, including two lawmakers, were injured in the attack, which sparked condemnations from across the globe.

Workers gathered in Rawalpindi, Pakistan’s northeastern garrison city bordering Islamabad. They clashed with police at the Faizabad intersection, which separates the twin cities, and police in riot gear retaliated with tear gas.

Earlier, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, a former minister in Khan’s Cabinet, accused Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of “pushing PTI to fight the army but he will never succeed.”

Sanaullah is one of three government officials accused by Khan of involvement in the failed assassination attempt, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a senior intelligence official, Major General Faisal.

In Karachi, hundreds of PTI supporters blocked Sharah-e-Faisal, the main artery of the country’s commercial capital, causing a major traffic jam.

Minor clashes with police, who tried to fend off the workers, were also reported.

In Lahore, the capital of PTI-ruled northeastern Punjab province, Khan’s supporters held protests at six different locations, including the Governor’s House, blocking roads and burning tires.

Around 100 PTI supporters gathered outside the Governor House and burned tyres in front of the main entrance, while police stood silently by.

Baleeg-ur-Rehman, the governor of Punjab, is a member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group).

In Peshawar, the capital of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province, which is governed by the PTI, thousands of charged protesters converged on the city’s downtown.

Waving the tri-color party flags and carrying banners, the protesters chanted slogans against the government in Islamabad and demanded the arrest of the interior minister.

Sizable protests were also held in Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshehra, and Swabi districts.

Qasim Suri, a former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, led a protest demonstration in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan’s southwestern province, which also saw a partial strike in the districts of Qila Abdullah, Nushki, Pashin, and Sanjawi in response to the attacks on the former premier.

Shops, markets, and schools remained closed in several parts of these districts.

Lawyers protest

On the request of the Punjab Bar Council, lawyers across the province boycotted court proceedings in protest against the attack on Khan, and only attended urgent hearings.

Lawyers affiliated with the PTI held a rally in Islamabad to condemn the attack, demanding the arrest of the “real culprits” behind the “conspiracy to assassinate Khan.”

Meanwhile, speaking at the National Assembly, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif condemned Khan for blaming premier Sharif and others for the attack, even before a final investigation.

Asif said the federal government itself has demanded a “free and fair” investigation into the incident by the PTI-led Punjab government, but the former premier is twisting the facts for political mileage. He also accused the Punjab government of “security failure.”

Condemnations continue pouring in

Khan, who is being treated at Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, is said to be in stable condition, as condemnations and messages of solidarity continue to pour in.

The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its “strong” condemnation of the assassination attempt.

Egypt also condemned the attempt to assassinate the former prime minister.

“Egypt affirmed its solidarity with the government and people of the friendly Islamic Republic of Pakistan in the face of all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism, wishing a speedy recovery for the former Prime Minister and all those injured,” said a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.