Four paramilitary soldiers died Tuesday during violent confrontations near Pakistan’s parliament as protesters demanding former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s release clashed with security forces, marking a deadly escalation in the country’s political crisis.
The interior ministry confirmed the deaths while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused protesters of deliberately ramming the paramilitary troops with vehicles. “It is not a peaceful protest. It is extremism,” Sharif said in a statement, characterizing the demonstrations as driven by “evil political designs.”
Opposing accounts of the soldiers’ deaths emerged immediately. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party spokesman Zulfikar Bukhari disputed the government’s version, stating, “No protesters ran over any rangers,” and claiming social media videos show demonstrators “protecting and hugging rangers.” He accused the government of creating a false narrative to justify a potential crackdown.
The deadly incident occurred as hundreds of protesters reached D-Chowk, a square near parliament historically used for demonstrations. Protesters ransacked vehicles and torched a police kiosk, prompting authorities to deploy army units to protect diplomatic missions in the capital’s fortified red zone.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned of severe consequences, stating “No one will be spared,” while authorities indicated they might impose a curfew. The violence has already claimed an additional victim, with one police officer killed Monday and dozens wounded in earlier clashes.
The protests, which Khan called the “final call,” have drawn thousands who broke through security barriers on roads blocked with shipping containers. Led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi and key aide Ali Amin Gandapur, demonstrators now armed with steel rods, slingshots, and sticks have announced plans for a sustained sit-in outside parliament.
The deaths of the paramilitary soldiers represent the most serious escalation since Khan’s imprisonment in August last year. The 72-year-old former cricket star faces multiple charges ranging from corruption to inciting violence, all of which he and his party deny.
