PTI workers and supporters across the country took to the streets on Friday in protest after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified party chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference.
Following the ECP’s verdict, party workers flooded the streets in major cities, including Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi.
Islamabad
In Islamabad, a large number of PTI workers and supporters converged on Faizabad Interchange where police resorted to tear gas shelling to prevent the protesters from marching towards Islamabad.
The workers blocked the main road and set tyres ablaze, suspending traffic on the artery. The also pelted stone at the police.
Karachi
In Karachi, the PTI workers gathered outside the party’s office located on Sharea Faisal. A police contingent also reached the scene in order to pre-empt any untoward situation.
Peaceful protest against CEC’s decision being carried out in Karachi- #عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن pic.twitter.com/cqS9MkVwHw
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 21, 2022
Traffic on the thoroughfare was disrupted as the number of protesters began to grow. Police also deployed water canons in light of the looming threat of violence.
Visuals shared by the party’s official Twitter account showed Ali Haider Zaidi and other leaders taking part in what it dubbed a “peaceful protest”.
Meanwhile, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said the PTI’s protest against the ECP verdict was “beyond comprehension”. In a statement, he said the PTI must accept the electoral watchdog’s decision. Protest also reported in other parts of the port city.
Other cities
Visuals shared by the party’s official Twitter account showed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Taimur Khan Jhagra leading a protest in Peshawar.
صوبائی وزیر تیمور جھگڑا کی قیادت میں پشاور میں احتجاج جاری۔#عمران_خان_ہماری_ریڈ_لائن ہے pic.twitter.com/3uUrTpyYRU
— Tehreek-e-Insaf (@InsafPK) October 21, 2022
Another video of Rahim Yar Khan showed workers blocking a road and burning tyres.
Another showed a large number of protesters gathered in Mardan.
In Charsadda protesters thronged the Farooq-e-Azam Chowk, where they were confronted by the ANP workers. Both sides shouted slogans against each other in the presence of a heavy contingent of police.
Swabi also emerged on the protest map after PTI cohorts barricaded the Mardan and Jehangir roads for traffic. Life in Shabqadar was also reported to have suffered from the PTI protests.
According to reports pouring in from Naushehra, hundreds of fuming Khan fans crowded at Shawera Chowk and recorded their protest, which is currently underway.
PTI’s supporters have also kicked off a protest at Shahdra Chowk in Lahore
It should be noted that PTI had announced country wide protest, before the announcement of the ECP verdict, in case the decision of Toshakhana Reference came against Imran Khan.
