Pakistan ends lockdown of its capital after protests : NPR

ISLAMABAD — Authorities reopened roads linking Pakistan’s capital with the remainder of the nation, ending a four-day lockdown, on Wednesday after utilizing tear fuel and firing into the air to disperse supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan who marched to Islamabad to demand his launch from jail.

“All roads are being reopened, and the demonstrators have been dispersed,” Inside Minister Mohsin Naqvi mentioned.

Khan’s spouse, Bushra Bibi, who was main the protest, and different demonstrators fled in autos when police pushed again towards the rallygoers following clashes through which at the least seven individuals had been killed.

The police operation got here hours after 1000’s of Khan supporters, defying authorities warnings, broke by means of a barrier of delivery containers blockading Islamabad and entered a high-security zone, the place they clashed with safety forces.

Stress has been excessive in Islamabad since Sunday when supporters of the previous prime minister started a “lengthy march” from the restive northwest to demand his launch. Khan has been in a jail for over a yr and faces greater than 150 legal instances that his social gathering says are politically motivated.

Tons of of demonstrators have been arrested since Sunday.

Bibi and leaders of her husband’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf social gathering fled to Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the place the social gathering nonetheless guidelines.

Khan, who stays a preferred opposition determine, was ousted in 2022 by means of a no-confidence vote in Parliament.