Four Pakistani security troops were among those killed, run over by a convoy of protesters seeking the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the prime minister’s office said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, directed to immediately identify those involved in the incident and ensure they are brought to justice.
“Attacks on police and Rangers, under the guise of a so-called peaceful protest, are condemnable,” he said, adding, the anarchist group seeks bloodshed and “Pakistan cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed. Bloodshed for nefarious political agenda is unacceptable and highly condemnable.” He also instructed to provide the best possible medical facilities to those injured.
The interior ministry attributed the attacks to “miscreants” but did not identify them further, saying four troops were killed. A police officer died in a separate incident.
Shortly after midnight, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi threatened security forces would respond with live fire if protesters fired weapons at them.
“If they again fire bullets, the bullet will be responded with the bullet,” he said.
Police used tear gas to try and disperse the crowds. Scores of people more have been injured, including journalists who were attacked by Khan supporters. Dozens of Khan supporters beat a videographer covering the protest for The Associated Press and took his camera. He sustained head injuries and was being treated in a hospital.
Pakistani media have mostly stopped filming and photographing the rally, instead focusing on the security measures and the city’s deserted streets.
Khan, who has been in jail for over a year and faces more than 150 criminal cases, remains popular. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI, says the cases are politically motivated.
Authorities say only courts can order the release of Khan, who was ousted in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament. He has been imprisoned since his first conviction in a graft case, in August 2023, and has been sentenced in several cases.
Khan’s supporters were around 10 km (6.2 miles) from their destination, the city’s Red Zone that houses key government buildings. Naqvi said Khan’s party rejected a government offer to rally on the outskirts of the city.
Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, who is leading the protest, told people to keep marching toward the Red Zone peacefully. She said another plan of action would be conveyed to protesters if Khan was not released. She also urged the government not to harm the demonstrators.
In a bid to foil the protest, police arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters since Friday and suspended mobile and internet services in some parts of the country. On Thursday, a court prohibited rallies in the capital and Naqvi said anyone violating the ban would be arrested.
Travel between Islamabad and other cities has become nearly impossible because of shipping containers blocking the roads. All educational institutions remain closed. Mobile internet services and messaging platforms are experiencing severe disruption in the capital.
The PTI relies heavily on social media to demand his release and uses messaging platforms like WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. The X platform, which is banned in Pakistan, is no longer accessible even with a VPN.
The violence comes during an official visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
(With inputs from Reuters and PTI)
