In a significant victory for the ruling coalition, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified party leader Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference on Friday, prompting PTI workers across the nation to take to the streets in protest.
The PTI has said that it will dispute the verdict of the electoral watchdog in the Islamabad High Court. Simultaneously, party head Fawad Chaudhry urged citizens to come to the streets “for their rights.”
In response to the ECP’s decision, party members swarmed the streets of major cities such as Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi.
Islamabad
A significant number of PTI employees and supporters arrived at the Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad, where police fired tear gas to prevent the demonstrators from marching into the capital.
The employees obstructed the major route and lit tires on fire, halting traffic on the arterial road.
The Islamabad police stated that residents had the right to protest peacefully, but that it was illegal to obstruct highways or damage state property.
“The administrations of other provinces have been requested to halt the advance of illegal protesters into the federal capital,” Islamabad police stated, adding that tear gas was being used in Faizabad in response to the situation.
Police in Islamabad also urged senior citizens, women, and children to avoid needless travel. “Citizens are requested to maintain hospital access routes open,” the capital police tweeted.
Karachi
In Karachi, PTI workers gathered in front of the party’s Sharea Faisal headquarters. A police contingent also arrived on the spot to prevent any unpleasant incidents.
As the number of demonstrators grew, the thoroughfare’s flow of traffic was impeded. In light of the imminent threat of violence, police also deployed water cannons.
Ali Haider Zaidi and other leaders participated in what the party termed a “calm protest,” as seen in tweets from its official Twitter account.
Murtaza Wahab, the administrator of Karachi, stated that the PTI’s protest against the ECP ruling was “incomprehensible.” In a statement, he stated that the PTI must respect the verdict of the electoral body.
Other towns
The official Twitter account of the party published images of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Taimur Khan Jhagra leading a demonstration in Peshawar.
Another video of Rahim Yar Khan depicted roadblocking and tire burning by workers.
Another depicted a massive gathering of demonstrators in Mardan.
