Demonstrations are taking place throughout Pakistan by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and led by his Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. In the capital, Islamabad, police clashed with protesters on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4 and 5. In the clashes, both security forces and demonstrators suffered injuries. The army has deployed into Islamabad and will remain throughout the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Oct. 15-16 summit, which is taking place in the city.
The PTI is staging demos across several Pakistani cities on Oct. 5, protesting against proposed constitutional amendments that it claims are aimed at curtailing the independence of the judiciary, and demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has been in prison since August 2023 and faces a slew of what are seen as trumped up legal charges. They are also celebrating Imran Khan’s birthday this month. A large demonstration is expected today in the country’s major city Lahore, and the army has blocked all the main roads leading into both Islamabad and Lahore.
According to Nikkei Asia, the judicial reform will extend the term of retiring Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who has apparently upheld the arrest of Imran Khan. It is said his proposed replacement would be Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who could very well free Khan and speed up an audit of February elections that brought the current government to power despite allegations of widespread vote fraud.
The administration of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denies these claims.
