Rawalpindi police officials have reported that the PTI’s protest call on November 24th turned violent, resulting in numerous arrests and injuries. Senior police officers, including the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfraz, held a joint press conference with the CPO Rawalpindi and DPO Attock to detail the events.

According to the police, despite assurances of a peaceful protest, thousands of PTI demonstrators engaged in violent acts upon entering Rawalpindi. They pelted police with stones, threw tear gas canisters, and attacked officers.

Police reported exercising significant restraint despite the violence. The demonstrators repeatedly announced their intention to march towards Adiala Jail. This protest followed previous calls for demonstrations by the same political party.

The RPO reported that 170 police officers in the Rawalpindi division were injured, including two who sustained gunshot wounds. The total number of police injured across the region on November 24 reached 262, including SSPs and DSPs. Remarkably, police reported no injuries among the protestors themselves.

A total of 1151 protestors were arrested, including 64 Afghan nationals. Authorities seized weapons, ball bearings, and spiked clubs from the arrested Afghans; only four possessed valid identification cards. The remaining Afghans were deemed to be in the country illegally.

The protestors are accused of arson, damaging property, and directly firing upon police in Attock. Police reported 11 vehicles were set ablaze, and 32 cases have been registered in the Rawalpindi region. Twenty-five police officers remain in critical condition.

The RPO emphasized that Rawalpindi has experienced relative peace and stability in recent months, making this level of violence particularly concerning. The police specifically highlighted the involvement of a militant wing within the protestors.