Massive protests, clashes demanding the release of Imran Khan

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Thousands of people took to the streets in Pakistan’s capital to demand the release of Imran Khan, who is in prison.

Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organized the protest in Islamabad on Sunday (September 8). At that time there was a clash between the PTI workers and the police. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protest.

This is the first time PTI leaders have held a major protest rally since the national elections held in the country in February this year. Al Jazeera news

Imran has been in jail since August last year. The protest was organized by the party to build support for his release. Last July, a district and session court of the country accepted the plea of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi against their conviction in the iddat (extra-Islamic nikah) case. Then the possibility of their release appeared. Later, Imran was re-arrested in the Toshakhana case by Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB). His sentence had already been suspended in the previous two Toshakhana cases, while he was acquitted in the Syfar case by the Islamabad High Court.

Earlier, PTI had been trying to get approval for public meetings in the capital for several months, but the administration did not allow it.

In the rally, PTI leader Hammad Azhar said, ‘PTI activists and supporters have gathered today to establish the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution in the country.’ He said, no obstacle can stop them. We will ensure the release of Imran Khan.’

Video footage circulating on television and social media showed PTI workers clashing with the police towards the end of the rally. At that time, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the activists.

Police said the local authorities had given a deadline to the PTI to end the rally. But the party did not finish the rally within the pre-fixed time. So the police removed the PTI leaders and workers from the rally venue. This led to conflict. The police were forced to fire tear gas shells.

PTI activists clashed with the police in Changi No. 26 area of Islamabad. According to the police, PTI workers pelted bricks at the police. Several policemen including Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shoaib Khan were injured. Later, the police fired teargas shells and chased away the PTI workers from the area.

PTI leader Hammad Azhar in a message called the police action a ‘stupid move’. “It was foolish of the police to open fire on peaceful participants,” he wrote.

source:samakal

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