Protest
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan ended the party’s protest rally against the proposed constitutional amendment at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Saturday after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur failed to arrive at the venue.
Clashes broke out between PTI supporters and the police as the protesters faced tear gas and rubber bullets.
Party workers struggled to reach Liaquat Bagh amidst heavy police presence, which led to prolonged clashes around Rawalpindi, particularly on Murree Road and nearby streets.
Protesters dodged tear gas and rubber bullets while attempting to gather at the protest site, with some demonstrators retaliating by hurling stones at the police. Residents were seen providing water to the protesters as the chaotic scenes unfolded.
Before PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan’s announcement to end the protest, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari stated that Gandapur had turned back before reaching the city.
According to her, the KP chief minister had abandoned the protest after facing logistical hurdles. Shortly afterward, Gandapur himself confirmed his withdrawal, stating that the party had made its protest known and would not seek confrontation with the authorities.
While departing, Gandapur, alongside his convoy, returned to Pathargarh, announcing plans to regroup and move straight to Adiala Jail. Despite the withdrawal, clashes continued in the garrison city throughout the day.
Meanwhile, PTI’s leadership struggled to arrive at the protest. Shehryar Riaz and Amir Mughal led the first convoys that managed to reach Rawalpindi in the afternoon, while PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan and legal adviser Salman Akram Raja were temporarily blocked from entering the city.
Police had placed containers at 25 key points across Rawalpindi and deployed around 4,000 personnel to suppress the gathering. Despite raids on PTI workers’ homes, no major arrests were made.
The protest rally was organized in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment regarding judicial reforms and the extension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s tenure. However, due to Section 144, which prohibits public gatherings, PTI had not been granted permission to hold the event.
The police’s response to the protest included using tear gas and rubber bullets on convoys from Attock and surrounding areas, leading to multiple arrests.
PTI supporters, undeterred by the heavy-handed approach, continued to move toward Liaquat Bagh in groups, engaging in skirmishes with law enforcement along the way. Reports indicated that tear gas was even deployed against female protesters led by PTI leader Aaliya Hamza at Committee Chowk.
At the same time, the Punjab government suspended mobile phone signals, halted Metro Bus services, and blocked the Islamabad Expressway with containers. These measures were taken to prevent PTI convoys from gathering in Rawalpindi. Six companies of Rangers were also deployed in Rawalpindi and Attock to maintain security.
In the backdrop of these tensions, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari criticized Gandapur and the PTI leadership for attempting to disrupt peace in Rawalpindi.
She declared that no lawlessness would be tolerated in the province and accused PTI of planning chaos, while security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were already dealing with unrest.
Meanwhile, PTI supporters continued their protests, undeterred by the obstacles placed in their path, and the party leadership vowed to regroup and continue its political struggle.
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