Pakistan: Army Called In After Death Of Six Security Personnel In Violent Clashes Around Islamabad

Islamabad, Nov 26: As the situation continues to spiral out of control in and around Pakistan's capital Islamabad following the death of at least six security personnel in violent clashes with thousands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, the country's Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday that army has been called in for deployment under Article 245 of the Constitution.

The move comes amid the escalating security situation in Islamabad and the failure of the second round of talks between the government and the PTI leaders as supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan continued to march towards the capital's D-Chowk.

It was reported that the violent clashes between PTI protestors and the security forces have so far resulted in the death of at least six security personnel, including two police officials and four Pakistani Rangers.

The security situation escalated after a vehicle of PTI protestors rammed into Rangers on Islamabad-Srinagar Highway, killing at least six security personnel. In violent clashes at Chungi No. 26 of Islamabad, protestors pelted stones and subsequent gunfire resulted in the injury of a Ranger.

As per the latest directives, authorities have issued stringent directives to security personnel to take decisive action against miscreants and even use extreme measures of shooting any rioter, if needed. The notification issued by the Pakistan Interior Ministry also authorises the army to impose a curfew whenever it deems fit to maintain law and order.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi refused to relocate the protest venue.

A delegation of PTI met with their founder and former PM Imran Khan at least twice in Adiala jail, consulting him on the backdoor talks with the government. As per sources, Khan was informed that the government has offered the venue of Sanjani interchange instead of the highly sensitive D-Chowk for the PTI protest, and has asked PTI to submit a request for the protest permission.

Sources said that while Khan accepted the offer and communicated the same to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Bushra Bibi refused to agree and asserted that the destination of PTI's sit-in protest will remain D-Chowk, as announced earlier.

The current situation has sent alarm bells ringing as many observers now see Khan's wife Bushra Bibi calling the shots and making all significant PTI decisions.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned the PTI protesters not to cross the red line, saying that the government will then be forced to take "extreme" steps.

"I'm saying again that the Belarus president is here in Pakistan so do not cross the red line. Otherwise, we will have to take extreme steps, including invoking Article 245, imposing a curfew and more... They (PTI protesters) can't come to D-Chowk. This cannot happen now," said Naqvi.

He also said that there seems to be a bigger authority in PTI who is running the show instead of Imran Khan.

"As per my information, our offer to them to stage a protest at Sangjani was accepted during their (PTI) meeting in Adiala jail. But it seems that there is now a bigger authority running the show in PTI," said Naqvi, indirectly referring to Bushra Bibi.

As PTI protesters continue to march towards D-Chowk and refuse to go back until Imran Khan is released from jail, the security situation in the capital continues to remain extremely sensitive. Things could turn more tense as now the Pakistan army has been called in to take "decisive action" against the protestors.

--IANS