Thousands Rally in Islamabad to Demand Ex-Premier Release

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) managed to hold a major rally in Islamabad for the first time since May 2023 as the government had refused multiple times to allow the party to organize public gathering in the capital despite court orders.

Sporting tri-colored caps and waving party flags, the protesters chanted slogans "long live Imran Khan", "release Imran Khan", "rigged elections unacceptable", and so on as the rally kicked off in an uneven and swampy ground on the capital's northern outskirt, anews.com reported. 

Reports of clashes between the charged protesters and police at some points were also reported.

A spokesman for Islamabad police, in a statement, accused the protesters of pelting the police personnel with stones, injuring many of them, including a senior official.

Visuals aired on local broadcaster Samaa News showed the enraged activists throwing rocks at the riot police, that in return, hurled teargas shells to disperse the protesters.

Earlier, police blocked several entry points to the capital by placing containers and barricades, which the PTI claimed was an attempt to hold off the party workers from attending the rally.