Imran Khan Supporters Clash with Pakistan Military: Key Takeaways

From his prison cell in Rawalpindi, Punjab, former Prime Minister Imran Khan urged his Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters to march on Islamabad.

Responding to the call, a massive rally led by Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, departed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, governed by his close ally Ali Amin Gandapur. 

On November 24, 2024, 10,000 of Khan’s supporters, including his wife, marched into Islamabad, rallying behind the slogan “Do or Die,” a message Khan had sent from prison titled The Final Call.

The demonstrators demanded Khan’s release and the reversal of constitutional amendments enacted on October 30, 2024, which sparked political controversy—particularly the provisions regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice.

The Red Zone

The primary plan of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters was to breach the capital and reach D-Chowk as their final destination.

D-Chowk, a large square in the heart of Islamabad, is near several key government buildings, including the Prime Minister's Office, the Parliament, and the Supreme Court. Frequently used for political rallies, it’s also referred to as the “Red Zone.”

However, Khan's march clashed with thousands of security forces, especially “Rangers” units trained for law enforcement and handling such protests.

Authorities blocked most of the city's main roads with shipping containers and suspended mobile phone services, leading protesters to nickname the capital “Containeristan” or “Land of Trucks.”

The government also invoked Section 144, prohibiting gatherings of more than four people in Islamabad for two months.

In a report, the BBC described the chaotic scene: Pakistan's capital is in turmoil—schools are shut, workers face uphill battles to reach offices, and businesses reliant on the internet, especially ride-sharing and food delivery services, have come to a standstill.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif issued a stern warning, stating that any violent protest will be met with a firm response.

Bloody Clashes

As protesters from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party entered Islamabad and neared heavily guarded zones, peaceful retreat became impossible.

The night of November 26 witnessed bloody confrontations with security forces, with gunfire echoing across the capital. By morning, residents awoke to barricades, burnt vehicles, shattered glass, and bloodstains marking the aftermath of the clashes.

State television announced that “the area has been cleared of miscreants and anarchists.” Agence-France Presse reported the dispersal of PTI demonstrators, which resulted in the deaths of five security personnel and the arrest of nearly 1,000 people.

PTI leaders countered on November 28, claiming that at least 20 people had been killed and hundreds injured in the crackdown. Official figures, however, remained undisclosed.

Journalist Zahid Gishkori, who was covering the protests, shared on X, “During the PTI demonstration, 14 people were killed, including five security personnel and nine protesters, in addition to 830 people injured—564 security officers and 266 demonstrators.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed the protesters for the deaths of the soldiers, accusing them of running over security forces with a convoy led by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi angrily declared, “There’s only one woman behind all this chaos,” referring to Bibi.

Global and Local Reactions

Amnesty International condemned what it called the illegal and excessive use of force in Pakistan, a country of over 240 million people.

“Disturbing reports and testimonies regarding the unlawful use of force including lethal ammunition against protesters, during a government-enforced communication blackout, are emerging from yesterday,” said Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty.

“Amnesty International calls for a prompt, thorough, impartial, effective and transparent investigation into the deaths and injuries of protesters as well as the unlawful use of force including lethal and less-lethal weapons by security personnel. Authorities must also immediately release all protesters detained solely for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly.”

“Thousands of Pakistanis are protesting for democracy & are being met with violent repression. I am hearing reports that the government is using live fire & tear gas against protesters.” U.S. Congressman Greg Casar posted on X.

“I condemn this violence & urge the government to allow these protests to continue peacefully.”

Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir, speaking before Parliament, noted, “As the protesters arrived, their numbers swelled to the thousands, with additional convoys either on their way or positioned near Parliament.”

“I saw security personnel shaking hands with the protesters and leaving the area, but hours later, we received an order from an unknown entity [the military] while I was at Geo News’ office near the protest site. We were told to turn off the lights, evacuate the building, and leave immediately.”

PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari described the clashes as “the worst political violence in months,” adding that protests had been suspended to strategize new approaches in response to the government's crackdown.

The repressive measures of the authorities weren’t the only obstacle faced by PTI protesters. Tensions flared within the ranks of Imran Khan’s supporters, sparking internal discord in the field.

Videos shared by the local outlet WE News captured heated arguments between Khan’s supporters and party leaders. In one clip, an enraged man exclaimed, “We only know Khan and no one else. If the leaders wish to retreat, we’ll break their car windows and drag them by the necks back to the protest site.”

On November 27, Pakistani researcher Huzaifah Farid commented on the turmoil among Khan’s supporters on X, “Bushra Bibi and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—both close to Imran Khan—managed to escape and return to Khyber.”

“But what about the protesters who were emotionally charged and then abandoned? What about the promises to stay until Imran Khan’s release?”

“They fled for their own safety, leaving their supporters to face the authorities alone. PTI stands for betrayal, abandonment, and cowardice in its purest form,” he added.

Saudi Role in Khan’s Fall

In a speech to PTI supporters on November 21, 2024, ahead of the planned march on Islamabad, Bushra Bibi touched on Saudi Arabia’s alleged involvement in orchestrating her husband’s ousting.

She claimed that “plans to remove Imran were set during his last visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2021, when he visited Medina barefoot as a sign of reverence.”

“After his return, certain Saudi entities [unnamed] contacted Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, asking, ‘Who is this person you’ve brought to power? We do not want an Islamic Pakistan.’”

Imran Khan was removed from office on April 10, 2022, through a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly, following significant pressure from the military and opposition parties. This made him the first prime minister in Pakistan’s history to be ousted through such a vote.

Since August 2023, Khan has been imprisoned, facing over 150 criminal charges. Despite this, he remains immensely popular among millions of citizens, with his PTI party asserting that the cases against him are “politically motivated.”

Pakistan’s political crisis escalated on May 9, 2023, following widespread violence sparked by Khan’s initial arrest in the Toshakhana case.

Commenting on Khan’s future amid the ongoing turmoil, Pakistani politician Abdul Shakoor Kamran predicted that “key PTI leaders will soon announce their departure from the party, and legal cases against Khan will intensify.”

Speaking to Radio Monte Carlo on November 29, Kamran did not rule out Bushra Bibi’s arrest, citing a “terrorism” case filed against her over the Islamabad protests.

“The military will fully dismantle Khan’s administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, his last remaining stronghold,” he said.