Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has reaffirmed his commitment to reaching Islamabad's D-Chowk for the PTI's highly anticipated power show, despite reports of heavy tear gas shelling by security forces to disperse the protest.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned what he called an "attack by protesters," which, according to the interior minister, resulted in the deaths of at least four security personnel.
The developments come as PTI convoys, which have been traveling across the country since Sunday, converge in Islamabad to demand the release of Imran Khan and address other issues.
As CM Gandapur’s convoy—expected to be the largest—neared D-Chowk, the PTI leader reiterated his determination to reach the protest venue. “We must reach D-Chowk,” he declared to protesters nearby, who responded with chants of “D-Chowk.”
“Until Imran Khan gives the orders, we must protect him,” Gandapur said, flanked by National Assembly opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan. “We are peaceful. Let us hold our sit-in peacefully,” he added.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan urged the government to "refrain from firing at innocent people" amid reports of heavy tear gas shelling on protesters. On social media, he called for peaceful protests, expressing hope for the early release of Imran Khan.
Images from around 3pm showed PTI protesters near D-Chowk, with many climbing containers placed to block their path. Army personnel were seen on top of one of the containers.
D-Chowk, a major roundabout in Islamabad’s fortified Red Zone, has long been a focal point for political protests, located near key government buildings such as Parliament House, the Supreme Court, the Pakistan Secretariat, and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Later visuals showed protesters gathering about 550 meters from D-Chowk, where multiple layers of containers were erected to block their advance.