IslamabadcTypeface:> Hundreds of supporters from the party of jailed former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan clashed with riot police to defy a ban on public gathering on Saturday. The protesters are trying to reach the garrison city of Rawalpindi where the situation remains volatile, with workers from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice, PTI) party facing off against security forces. The protest, a bold act of defiance, is part of an effort by Khan’s supporters to build pressure on the government for his release amid deepening political unrest. PTI was denied the permission for the rally and in order to block protesters, entry points of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad were blocked with shipping containers. Despite these measures, the tension boiled over as crowds tried to breach the barricades. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister, one of Khan’s close aides, led a massive rally showing no signs of backing down. Videos circulating widely on social media captured the chaotic scenes, with police firing tear-gas canisters. The party has also reported the arrest of several key leaders as the confrontation with the state grows fiercer by the hour. (dpa)
