PTI workers clash with police as countrywide protests break out against attack on Imran Khan

• Clashes took place between protesters and LEAs at Faizabad Interchange.
• Party workers will continue protests upon Khan's call.
• Protesters were dispersed by LEAs with help of tear gas shells.

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The PTI started its countrywide protests against the attack on party Chairman Imran Khan.

Earlier, the party leadership said that they would start holding demonstrations countrywide after Friday prayers.

The party was staging protests in major cities across Pakistan including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Malakand, Rajanpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, and Kohat, among others.

Minutes before Khan addressed his supporters, protests ended in most cities across the country.

In his speech, the PTI chairman urged his followers to continue staging protest against Rana Sanaullah, Shehbaz Sharif, and an army major until their resignations, alleging that they planned his murder.

Below is a timeline of the protests throughout the day.

Protests turn violent in twin cities

Khan’s supporters also protested in Rawalpindi’s Faizabad Interchange against the assassination attempt on him a day earlier.

Islamabad Police intermittently fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters in the area who resorted to stone-pelting on the police and Frontier Corps (FC). Meanwhile, Islamabad Police and FC arrested several PTI workers in Islamabad. Murree Road was closed to traffic in Rawalpindi.

Islamabad Police took to Twitter to inform the public about the situation in the twin cities.

Earlier, protesters blocked Rawalpindi’s GT Road from both sides which affected traffic in the area. After workers ended their protests in Rawat, GT Road was cleared for traffic. PTI’s women workers, on the other hand, left after protesting at the National Press Club.

Situation in Lahore

Protesters in Lahore held demonstrations against the federal government. Earlier, PTI workers and supporters vandalised public property outside the Governor House’s gate at Lahore’s Mall Road resulting in a traffic jam before ending the protest, as the police reached the spot.

Earlier, some PTI supporters jumped on the Governor House’s gate while holding PTI flags in their hands and placing them on the gate, while others tried to trespass barriers placed by law enforcement. Meanwhile, lawyers of the Insaf Lawyer’s Forum also gathered at the venue earlier.

Demonstrations affected traffic at Lahore’s Thokar Niaz Baig and Shahdara Chowk, as well as at Mall Road’s GPO intersection.

Demonstrations were also being held at the Maulana Zafar Ali Khan intersection in Wazirabad, where PTI workers have blocked the traffic moving from Lahore to Islamabad.

In Lahore, the party's workers and supporters were led by Senator Ejaz Chaudhry in the protests.

Police take on violent protesters in Karachi

Karachi's Shahrah-Faisal was cleared for traffic following protests.

Earlier, Karachi Police baton-charged and fired tear gas shells at the protesters on the city's crucial artery to ensure their dispersal.

PTI MPA Raja Azhar Khan sustained injuries due to the police’s baton-charge and stampede on Shahrah-e-Faisal. He vowed to move court against SSP South.

“Shelling and rubber bullets cannot bring down our morale,” he added.

Police, however, said that around 300 to 500 protesters were heading toward Metropole from the Gora Qabaristan (Christian’s cemetery). The protesters did not stop despite several warnings. Finally, the police used tear gas near Jinnah Hospital Mor to disperse the protesters.

Two hours after the clashes, the police finally managed to disperse the protesters and fully restore the vehicular traffic on Shahrah-e-Faisal.

The PTI’s supporters were staging protests against the assassination attempt on Khan near Jinnah Hospital Mor. The police also took several protesters, including women into custody.

Due to the clashes, the lane between Jinnah Hospital Mor to Metropole signal was blocked for all kinds of traffic. Another track leading from Saddar police station to the Metropole signal was also blocked.

Other cities

In Peshawar, protesters gathered at and blocked the Motorway Interchange. They raised slogans against the federal government and in favour of Khan.

In Quetta, party workers protested at the Mannan Chowk where provincial leaders were also present.

In Hyderabad, supporters were protesting at the Haider intersection, while protesters also gathered in Tharparkar's Kashmir intersection.

Traffic was also stopped due to protests at the Milad intersection in Lodhran.

Workers were demonstrating at the Main Bazaar in Mansehra, while protests were also held in Orakzai's Ghilju Bazar Anjani, Feroze Khel, Headquarters intersection, and Buland Khel areas.

In Gujrat, various areas were closed to traffic, while PTI workers have blocked the Shaheen Bypass Road.

In Bahawalnagar, protests were held in Rafiq Shah, while in Rajanpur, supporters conducted a sit-in at Chowk Allahabad, Rojhan, Fazilpur, and Jampur.

In Rajanpur, PTI workers blocked the Sindh-Punjab border by burning tyres, which caused a long queue of vehicles stuck in traffic.

Earlier, supporters raised slogans against the attack on their party chief in Rajanpur where they blocked the Indus Highway.