Imran Khan’s PTI Calls for Temporary Halt to Protests, Citing Brutal Government Response

 As supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party advanced towards the heavily barricaded D-Chowk on Tuesday evening, they were met with intense resistance from security forces, who deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd. In response, PTI leadership, including Bushra Bibi, the wife of imprisoned leader Imran Khan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, retreated late into the night. Gandapur was heard advising protesters to "go home, have dinner, and return tomorrow."

In the early hours of Wednesday, PTI issued a statement via its official X account, announcing the temporary suspension of the protest in light of what the party termed the government's "brutality" and its alleged plan to turn the capital into a "slaughterhouse" for unarmed civilians. The party indicated that future actions would be based on the guidance of Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated, after receiving analysis of the situation from PTI’s political and core committees.

The statement also condemned what it described as the "killing" and "brutality" against peaceful protesters, characterizing the actions as part of an operation aimed at silencing dissent. PTI called for the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Yahya Afridi, to take suo motu notice of the alleged "murder" of party workers and to initiate legal proceedings against the Prime Minister, Interior Minister, and the police chiefs of Islamabad and Punjab for "attempt to murder."

Further, PTI leaders, including Bushra Bibi, CM Gandapur, and National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan, were set to hold an "emergency" press conference on Wednesday morning, though the briefing had not yet taken place as of the latest updates. The press conference was scheduled to occur at the residence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Speaker Babar Saleem Swati in Peshawar, as confirmed by PTI senior vice president Taimur Saleem Swati.

Meanwhile, after four days of suspension, data services were restored in parts of Islamabad, including the Red Zone and Bani Gala, as well as in Rawalpindi. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed that services were resumed at 7 am, as reported by Dawn.com.

The violence that unfolded on Tuesday left at least two dead and over 60 injured, including both protesters and security personnel. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) confirmed the fatalities, with several injured individuals, including policemen, transferred to Polyclinic Hospital for treatment. Hospital sources also reported that the death toll from the three-day protests had risen to six, including a policeman and three Rangers officials who died in a vehicular accident.

In addition, PTI issued a statement claiming that "dozens" of its workers were shot and killed during the protests, naming eight individuals they said had been targeted. The party reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful political struggle, stating that it would not allow its citizens to be "slaughtered by state murderers." PTI also pointed to its history of resisting government attempts to suppress protests since its founder's ouster in 2022, referencing multiple protests, including those in 2022 and 2023, where the party claimed to have thwarted the government's efforts to violently quell demonstrations.

Despite suspending the protest, PTI emphasized its resolve to continue the fight for "haqeeqi azadi" (actual freedom), paying tribute to the citizens and party workers who participated in the demonstrations and to overseas Pakistanis who rallied in solidarity. The party also expressed gratitude to the residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for their hospitality toward PTI convoys.

The protest, initially scheduled for November 24, had faced several delays as PTI leaders emphasized that they were not in a rush. PTI convoys, some using industrial fans to counter tear gas, crossed the Islamabad Toll Plaza on Monday night, as the government remained firm in its stance to prevent further violence. In anticipation of the protests, over 800 PTI leaders and supporters had been arrested across Punjab and in the Islamabad vicinity by Sunday, with more than 500 local leaders detained in Islamabad alone by Tuesday.

The government response intensified as the Pakistan Army was called into Islamabad to handle what it described as "miscreants," and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reported casualties from an "attack by miscreants." Talks between PTI and the government remained deadlocked, with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stating that the government had failed to make contact with the party, while Naqvi ruled out any negotiations.

In the legal arena, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ruled the planned protest unlawful and instructed the government to take all necessary measures to maintain order, particularly as the Belarusian president’s visit coincided with the protests.