At least one person has been killed, and several others injured after police in Pakistan opened fire at protesters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a bloody crackdown on supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has said.
The reported casualties could not be independently verified, Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported. People in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially PTI supporters, are protesting in the PTI stronghold to demand Khan’s release while also airing anti-government grievances fuelled by harsh economic conditions. On Tuesday, a protest against the governor’s rule in the province turned violent, with demonstrators torching a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in the Bara Bazaar area in the province and allegedly holding 15 police personnel hostage, local media reported, citing police. Meanwhile, PTI lawmaker Iqbal Afridi claimed that the violence left 11 party workers injured and one dead. The confrontation resumed roughly 90 minutes later when another large group, led by provincial assembly member Abdul Ghani, marched from Minar Chowk towards Bara Chowk, raising anti-government slogans.
The protesters damaged government property and set traffic signals ablaze after reaching the intersection, Ahmed said.
But the situation in the province has worsened after it was placed under both governor’s rule and a state of emergency earlier this week, which has rendered PTI leader Sohail Afridi non-functional in his role as the province’s chief minister.
Hundreds of PTI supporters first assembled in Bara Bazaar on Tuesday afternoon to oppose governor’s rule, according to Khyber District Police Officer Waqar Ahmed. Police responded with tear gas and firing live rounds, prompting the crowd to disperse temporarily.
