Pakistan's police have clashed with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan

Pakistan's police have clashed with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan

Pakistan's police have clashed with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan as they attempted to march toward Islamabad, resulting in at least one police officer killed and more than 50 others injured. Authorities are desperately trying to prevent thousands of opposition protesters from reaching the capital, where a lockdown has been imposed for a second day. Khan, who has been detained for over a year on a range of charges, remains immensely popular, and his wife, Bushra Bibi, vowed that the march would continue until her husband is freed.

Roads leading to D Chowk, a major location near key government buildings, have been blocked with shipping containers, and police reinforcements from across the country have arrived in the capital. While paramilitary forces in riot gear stand ready, the situation remained calm on Monday as protesters had yet to reach the city. However, the police began closing more streets and relocating officers as news spread that the protesters were advancing. Amid fears of violence, some internet services were suspended, and schools and colleges were closed.

Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has staged protests for months, with this latest rally being prompted by Khan’s call for a "final march" to Islamabad. The protesters are also demanding the reversal of election results, which they claim were rigged—allegations the government denies. As the march, which began on Sunday, progressed, police used tear gas to disperse the crowds, while protesters responded by throwing stones. By Monday, authorities reported the arrest of 139 people.

Bushra Bibi, who was sentenced alongside her husband in January but was released on bail in October, is leading the main convoy of protesters. She declared that the march would not stop until Khan is released, urging the crowd to stand with her "until my last breath" for what she framed as a fight not only for her husband’s freedom but for the future of the country. Despite being imprisoned for over a year, Khan remains a dominant figure in Pakistan's opposition politics. His ouster from power in 2022, amid tensions with the military, was followed by his party’s disqualification in the February election. Though PTI-backed independent candidates won the most seats, they were unable to form a government, leading Khan to accuse the ruling PML-N and PPP parties of election fraud, a claim the authorities have strongly rejected.