The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters reached their destination–Islamabad’s D-Chowk–on Tuesday amid tear gas shelling and casualties while the main convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi was about to reach the iconic square.

Khan’s party has announced its decision to stage a sit-in at the location until their demands are met.

Today marks the third day of protests by the PTI.

Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon confirmed that police and paramilitary forces did not intervene with the protesters.

While the container-carrying PTI leaders were en route to D-Chowk, party activists managed to bypass barriers and obstacles to reach the site.

PTI to stage sit-in at D-Chowk until next ‘call’

In a statement, the PTI said that party chairman Gohar Ali Khan would provide instructions on the future course of action after meeting former premier Khan at the Adiala Jail.

Earlier, PTI leader Arbab Naseem confirmed that the convoy was passing near the Ufone Tower in the Blue Area. Meanwhile, strict security measures have been implemented to manage the situation. According to Naseem, Bibi and Gandapur have announced a sit-in at the D-Chowk.

More Rangers personnel have been deployed at China Chowk. The main convoy, led by Gandapur, is approximately five kilometres behind schedule and was reported to be nearing PIMS around 3pm.

Videos of PTI workers climbing atop containers go viral on social media

Videos of PTI workers climbing atop containers at D-Chowk went viral on social media. Army officials could be seen mingling with the party workers before retreating.

However, the main PTI convoy led by Gandapur and Bushra Bibi reached PIMS Hospital near 3:30pm, still some distance away from D-Chowk.

Strict security measures are in place to manage the situation. The PTI convoy has successfully breached roadblocks at the G-9 signal and is advancing towards Srinagar Highway. Police and Rangers have established barricades at G-9 signal, using containers to block the road. Islamabad Police DIG Operations Ali Raza Alvi is leading the operation.

List of demands

Thousands broke through security barriers earlier on Tuesday on roads blocked with shipping containers as they responded to Khan’s call for the sit-in protest.

The government met Khan’s aides to try to calm the protests, but the attempt did not succeed, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said.

On Monday, a police officer was killed and dozens wounded in clashes as the protest approached Islamabad.

The march, led by Khan’s wife and his key aide Ali Amin Gandapur, who is the chief minister of the PTI stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, wound its way into the capital early on Tuesday.

Khan’s party has also called for a rollback of constitutional amendments it says the government made to handcuff the judiciary, which has questioned the legitimacy of several cases against the 72-year-old ex-premier.

The turmoil has rattled investors. Pakistan’s benchmark share index fell 3% in intraday trading on Tuesday.

Voted out of power by parliament in 2022 after he fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military, Khan faces charges ranging from corruption to instigation of violence, all of which he and his party deny.

Candidates backed by Khan’s party won the most seats in a parliamentary election in February, but a coalition cobbled together and led by Sharif took power.

Khan and the PTI say the polls were rigged following a military-backed crackdown to keep him out of power. The army has denied charges of election manipulation.

Road closures and Islamabad

The road closures have caused significant hardship for citizens, creating a climate of fear. Educational institutions remain closed for a second day, suspending all academic activities, including examinations, in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The Metrobus service is also suspended for a fourth consecutive day, along with other public transport systems like the Green Line and Blue Line. Attendance in both government and private offices is extremely low.

Late last night, PTI workers successfully breached a major roadblock at the 26 Number Chungi, leading to limited clashes on Srinagar Highway. However, a serious incident occurred when miscreants rammed a vehicle into Rangers personnel, resulting in the deaths of four Rangers officials. The army has been called in. Despite the army’s deployment, the PTI convoy continued its advance. The distance from G-11 to D-Chowk is approximately 14 kilometers.

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Upon arrival in G-11, Bushra Bibi, addressing supporters from a container, urged for peace, stating, “These are your brothers and sisters who are coming. The workers will reach D-Chowk.”

Additionally, reports confirm that Ali Amin Gandapur is stationed at number 26, with Bushra Bibi personally leading the convoy.