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On November 24, Pakistan’s political party ‘Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’ launched a revolutionary protest for the release of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. It was named as PTI’s Final Call. PTI protesters led by Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur were marching from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to Islamabad’s D Chowk. Party supporters from all over Pakistan were invited to participate in it.
What were the government measures against the PTI’s Final Call?
On the other hand, the government of Pakistan took strict measures against this protest and blocked all routes to and from Islamabad and deployed heavy police forces. In other major cities of Pakistan, such as Lahore, police forces were also deployed and all roads to and from the city were closed.
The government blocked the road from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Islamabad by installing containers to stop the protestors. To disperse and arrest them, the government called the police not only from Islamabad but also from other provinces. Along with this, Rangers and FC personnel were also deployed.
The reason for these strict measures on the part of the government was also being explained that they could not be allowed to protest in Islamabad because the President of Belarus was visiting Pakistan. The government criticized Ali Amin Gandapur saying that people were being massacred in Parachinar in the province and he was determined to protest.
How did the march of the protestors proceed?
On November 24, activists led by Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi march towards Islamabad, numbering over 20,000 and by combining the convoys of other provinces, this number was said to be more than 30,000. When these activists entered the boundaries of Punjab province, they faced tear gas shelling by the police. Clashes with the police were also reported on the Attock bridge.
The workers would remove the obstruction containers on the way to make way for the main container, on which Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur were riding. Protesters tied ropes to the container and pulled it together, causing it to dislodge. In this way, the protesters crossed all the barriers and entered the limits of Islamabad.
On Monday, Party Chairman Barrister Gohar along with Barrister Saif met Imran Khan in Adiala Jail and informed about the situation of the protest. At the same time, Imran Khan had agreed to stop and protest at Sangjani’s place after this news became public. It is also said that the rest of the party leadership, including Ali Amin Gandapur, agreed on this except Bushra Bibi. She ordered the workers to go to D Chowk while refusing to stage a protest in Sangjani.
What happened at D Chowk?
PTI workers reached Islamabad’s D Chowk in the afternoon of November 26, while Bushra Bibi’s container stopped behind a short distance and did not go to D Chowk. The government had also deployed the Pakistan Army to control the situation. The protestors were shaking hands with the soldiers of Pakistan Army by climbing on top of the containers at D Chowk. Meanwhile, no action was taken against these protesters. On the other hand, workers were asking Bushra Bibi to go to D Chowk.
Finally a strategy was put in place to evacuate D-Chowk and an operation was conducted around 11 pm. As part of this operation, the buildings and street lights around the protesters in D Chowk were turned off, making it dark. After that, shelling and rubber bullets were fired at the protesters by the security forces. It is said that the use of live bullets was also carried out, killing several protesters. But the government denied this claim.
At first, the protesters continued to face these attacks, but in the meantime, the news reached them that Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur’s container caught fire and they fled. How the fire started and who started it are yet to be confirmed. Hearing this news, the protestors started running back, leaving their vehicles and bikes there.
Where did Bushra Bibi and Gandapur go?
That night it was also reported that both of them were arrested but later it was found that they had gone to Mansehra. The next day, Ali Amin Gandapour held a press conference in which he stated that the protest would continue even without people.
How much damage was done by PTI’s final call?
If the loss is estimated, first of all it is necessary to mention the human lives During this protest, many PTI workers including security personnel were killed and hundreds were injured. PTI claimed that more than 33 of its workers were killed due to bullets, while the government denied this claim and said that no bullets were used. On the other hand, the martyrdom of around 10 security personnel is being reported, including police and rangers personnel.
What are the consequences of this incident?
While giving an interview to the American news channel Voice of America, Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir said that bad results may appear. He said that this kind of treatment on the workers would encourage them to become part of an armed organization. He added that he heard some workers saying that they would come again to take revenge.
