Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, addressing a press conference in Lahore on November 25, 2024, stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is allegedly planning violent protests akin to the events of May 9. PTI supporters, on the call of their jailed leader Imran Khan, are marching toward Islamabad’s D-Chowk for a sit-in, demanding his release and addressing other grievances.
Bokhari revealed that a police constable lost his life, and nearly 70 others, including five critically injured officers, were wounded in clashes with PTI protesters. She accused the PTI’s “Youth Force” of firing at policemen, emphasizing that unarmed police personnel were deployed on the Punjab Chief Minister’s orders to maintain restraint.
The minister vowed that the government would prevent any attempt to storm the capital, adding that 80 PTI supporters have been arrested. She criticized the party for pursuing a strategy of violence to initiate “politics of dead bodies” and condemned the dual stance of advocating violence while proposing negotiations. Bokhari also held Bushra Bibi, former first lady, accountable for allegedly inciting violence and exploiting religious sentiments during the protests.
Meanwhile, PTI has accused the government of using excessive force to suppress the protesters. They claim hundreds of workers and leaders have been detained, and many supporters injured due to clashes with security forces.
To counter the protest, authorities have enforced a strict lockdown in Islamabad, using shipping containers to block roads and deploying heavy contingents of police and paramilitary forces in riot gear. PTI convoys from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, now in Punjab, continue their march towards the capital despite these measures.
Both sides remain steadfast, with the government prioritizing law and order and PTI determined to press for their demands.
