D-Chowk protest ends in PTI retreat

Gandapur, Bushra avoid arrests; flee to K-P; Ministers say protesters dispersed after crackdown; Joint action led

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in the federal capital was brought to an end late on Tuesday after the government launched a grand operation against the protesters surge to the D-Chowk, leaving the senior party leadership "escaping" from the scene.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said that the PTI protesters had been dispersed who later fled towards Khyber-Pakhtunkwha (K-P). Some reports said that K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder Imran Khan had reached K-P.

"The law enforcement personnel have cleared the area and ended the protest," Naqvi said, adding that Gandapur and Bushra Bibi had fled. Tarar also said that PTI protestors had fled from the capital. Both the ministers told reporters that the daily life would be brought to normal in the day.

The grand operation and crackdown was carried out late at night against the PTI protesters, who had reached the federal capital, in which hundreds of workers were arrested. Amid fierce shelling, Bibi and Gandapur fled in a car.

It was like the D-day in the federal capital as the PTI protestors managed to briefly converge on the edge of D-Chowk on day three of the 'final call' for the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan. The protesters broke all the barriers on their way, including roads closures with containers.

The PTI protesters being led by Chief Minister Gandapur and accompanied by Bushra Bibi continued their march towards Parliament and managed to reach D-Chowk – the place where they had vowed to reach at any cost.

The day started with the protestors quickly moving ahead by removing containers, clashing with the law-enforcement personnel and allegedly resorting to firing tear gas back at the security officials in their attempt to reach the venue.

The footages of the PTI protestors standing on the containers placed near parliament embarrassed the government yet it showed restrained. Later on, the army, which was summoned on Monday night with shoot-at-sight orders, forced the protestors back a few kilometres away.

Before being pushed back, Bibi, while addressing the PTI workers took a promise from them that they would not leave the place without taking Imran Khan with them. She said that Imran Khan stood up only for people and would continue to stand by them.

Surprising as it may seem, Bibi participated for the first time in a PTI protest but overshadowed Chief Minister Gandapur. At one point, she even asked Gandapur to lead the protest from the front. Her entry in the political arena provided much-needed fuel to PTI protestors.

However, the speeches and symbolic declaration of victory by the PTI workers was short lived as the Army swung into action and forced the protestors back on the Blue Area – which leads to Parliament. By 7pm, the area descended into darkness as lights were switched off before the security forces launched the operation to push the protestors further back.

The clashes between the security forces and protestors continued till late night with government ministers announcing that there will be no more talks with the PTI, especially, after they symbolically achieved what they wanted during the day.

After midnight, it emerged that the law-enforcers had cleared up the area. Reportedly, dozens of protestors were arrested during the operation, while PTI leadership remained out of sight. The reports said that the special teams were formed to apprehend the PTI leaders.

When asked to comment on the government's announcement, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram refrained from confirming if the protest had ended. The party was "deliberating" upon the situation and trying to contact with the party leadership," he told The Express Tribune.

Speaking at around 2am, Wednesday, Akram said that a formal statement about the protest and overall situation would be issued soon. He added that the party was gathering information about the ground situation as several PTI workers had been shot at and injured during the operation.

At their media talk, Tarar said that the PTI had been dealt a severe blow. "PTI's final call was a missed call. The Protesters fled leaving behind their shoes, clothes and vehicles, Bushra Bibi and Amin Gandapur fled," he added.

According to some reports, more than 450 protesters were arrested during the operation. Naqvi indicated that the situation would be normalised on Wednesday with gradual resumption of daily activities.

On November 13, the PTI issued its four demands: release of Imran Khan and all the political prisoners, reversal of the 26th constitutional amendment, restoration of democracy and constitution and return of alleged stolen mandate of the party in the General Elections of 2024.