Rawalpindi, May 20: Protests erupted in Rawalpindi as leaders and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gathered to demand access to former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The police responded with rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Local media reports indicate that the Islamabad police prevented Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Khan’s sisters, and several PTI leaders from proceeding to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
According to the Express Tribune, the delegation was halted at Checkpoint 26 in Islamabad, leading to heated arguments and a subsequent protest that continued into Wednesday morning.
Speaking to the media, Afridi expressed that he and Khan’s sisters had peacefully traveled to Islamabad to show solidarity. He noted that despite repeated obstacles and restrictions, the party’s supporters exhibited restraint, discipline, and responsibility.
Afridi stated, “It is alarming that an elected head of a province, along with their cabinet, is being obstructed from moving forward.” He described this as a violation of democratic norms and indicative of discriminatory behavior towards the federal unit.
Shafi Jan, the Special Assistant for Information and Public Relations to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mentioned on social media that Checkpoint 26 was reopened after significant violence, including the use of bullets and baton charges.
PTI shared a video on social media where Afridi highlighted the brutality faced by provincial lawmakers and a provincial chief executive.
According to Dawn newspaper, Punjab PTI also released a video showing Afridi attempting to navigate through the crowd while police officers stood behind with batons.
PTI’s social media post stated, “Rubber bullets were fired at peaceful activists.” The party’s demand is clear: Imran Khan should be immediately transferred to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, allowing his personal doctor and family to provide care. The world must pay attention to the injustices occurring in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Human Rights Council (HRC) condemned the use of rubber bullets against peaceful protesters by the Islamabad police at Checkpoint 26.
In recent months, PTI has organized protests outside Adiala Jail every Tuesday and Thursday, coinciding with the court-scheduled days for Khan’s family and party leaders to visit him. Khan continues to face restrictions on meeting with his family and party officials.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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