At least three Pakistan Rangers soldiers were killed when some miscreants among PTI protesters ran them over with a vehicle on Srinagar Highway in Islamabad as Imran Khan’s supporters stormed the federal capital to demand his release.

The late-night incident was quickly followed by the deployment of the Pakistan Army to the streets of Islamabad. The army, deployed under Article 245 of the Constitution, has been given shoot-at-sight orders, Aaj News reported.

Thousands of PTI protesters entered Islamabad Capital Territory on Monday evening after sunset – a day after they began their march from different cities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The protesters led by KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi converged near Hakla Interchange on M1 motorway before proceeding to Islamabad where they were met with strong resistance by police and Rangers at Chongi No 26. PTI says its supporters were hit by rubber bullets and tear gas shells.

By midnight the protesters pushed through walls of shipping containers and other obstacles and arrived at Srinagar Highway, one of the main arteries of the city.

It was here that they ran over a group of Rangers personnel killing four of them. Five others were wounded. At least two Punjab police officers were killed earlier during the ongoing protest.

Some reports on social media claimed that protesters who entered the Srinagar Highway also stormed the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST).

PTI’s Arbab Asim confirmed to BBC Urdu that some of the protesters had clashed with security forces near NUST.

Minutes earlier, the protesters at Chongi No 26 also attacked broadcasting vans of TV channels, breaking windows and equipment.

PTI’s aggressive push followed failed talks between party leaders, including Barrister Gohar, and the authorities, who twice allowed Gohar to visit Imran Khan in Adiala jail on Monday. One of the meetings was held almost at midnight, but Imran Khan reportedly told Gohar that the protesters should continue their march towards D Chowk, Aaj News reported.

Geo News and ARY News, meanwhile, claimed that Imran Khan had recorded a video message for Bushra Bibi and Ali Amin Gandapur. Gohar rebutted the claims and said Khan did not record any message.

Geo News also claimed that Imran Khan had accepted the government proposal of staging a sit-in near Sangjani, on the outskirts of Islamabad, but Bushra Bibi was adamant about marching to the D-Chowk.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is leading the efforts to stop PTI protesters, spoke to reporters at D-Chowk at midnight and said that the authorities had told PTI supporters to move towards Sangjani instead of going to D Chowk and that Imran Khan had also approved the proposal but the party failed to give a final response to the government. “If PTI now has a leadership above Imran Khan, I don’t know,” he said in a veiled reference to Bushra Bibi.

Naqvi also warned PTI protesters against crossing the “red line” and said bullets should be answered with bullets but the government was exercising restraints because people on the other side were also Pakistanis.

Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, speaking on a TV show, said while Gohar and others engaged in serious talks with the authorities, Bushra Bibi was trying to seize the opportunity to become a leader. She has a realization that she holds all the power and cards at the moment, he said.

Asif said for Bushra this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a leader.