There was no direct clash between the Pakistan Army and the mob when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protesters marched to Islamabad for former prime minister Imran Khan’s release, the interior minister has clarified.

“The PTI’s social media campaign is fostering unrest and division in Pakistan,” it said in a detailed notification on Sunday. “Relevant laws will be used to hold accountable those elements, both domestically and abroad.”

Thousands of PTI supporters marched on November 24 from different cities to Islamabad for Khan’s “final call” to “ensure the release of party members and restoration of democracy.” But the protest was called off on the third day.

They managed to reach the federal capital despite roadblocks and disruptions to the internet and cellular services.

At least six people, including a police officer and three Rangers officials, lost their lives during three days of protests, as reported by officials and hospital sources.

It was the third time that time that the party called off its protest after reaching its desired destination. According to Khan’s party, 12 of their supporters were killed in firing on the third day of the protest.

The ministry alleged that PTI protesters killed one police officer and three Rangers personnel, with 1,500 miscreants active under former communications minister Murad Saeed’s command.

It was claimed that resources from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government were utilised during the protests, which also violated court orders.

Protesters ‘violated rules’ by entering Red Zone

The interior ministry stated that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had used the provincial assembly to make “baseless and inflammatory statements” against institutions.

On November 21, the Islamabad High Court directed the federal government to maintain law and order “at all costs” and instructed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to communicate with the PTI leadership regarding peace and order.

In light of the visit of the Belarusian president and a Chinese delegation, it added that the PTI was repeatedly asked to postpone its protests. When Khan’s party insisted on continuing their demonstrations, they were offered the location of Sangjani. “Despite exceptional concessions, including meetings with the founder of PTI, the party violated court orders.”

The ministry added that instead of going to Sangjani, protesters entered Islamabad’s Red Zone thereby violating the law. “Violent demonstrators targeted” law enforcement officials assigned to duty during the march from Peshawar to the Red Zone, it said and claimed that protesters reportedly used weapons including steel slingshots, stun grenades, tear gas shells, and nail-studded sticks.

Murad Saeed ‘commanded 1,500 miscreants’ in PTI protest

The KP government’s resources were utilised during the violent protests, the notification said.

“Alarmingly, PTI’s protest included violent and trained miscreant elements including many illegal Afghan nationals who spearheaded the riots and violent activities throughout the march,” it said.

“These miscreants, employed as a violent vanguard, comprised approximately 1,500 hardcore fighters working directly under absconder and proclaimed offender Murad Saeed,” the notification added.

Three on-duty Rangers personnel killed

According to the ministry, barriers installed on the roads were removed with the assistance of provincial government machinery, allowing other groups of “miscreants” to pass through.

Law enforcement personnel demonstrated restraint in the face of demonstrators. Tragically, three Rangers officers on duty at a checkpoint in Islamabad were killed when a vehicle was driven into them, and a police officer was also slain during the unrest. Moreover, as many as 232 law enforcement personnel sustained injuries due to the actions of the rioters.

Army was deployed in Islamabad under Article 245 of Constitution

Protesters attacked security forces and set several police vehicles on fire, it said.

The ministry went on to add that the army was deployed in the capital under Article 245 of the Constitution “only to secure key government installations and foreign diplomats in the sensitive Red Zone while ensuring [a] secure environment for high-profile foreign dignitaries” visiting the country.

“LEAs comprising police and rangers were employed without live ammunition to disperse this violent mob while the army neither came in direct clash with these miscreants nor employed for riot control,” it said and added that the party leadership, instead of controlling the violent mob, fled from the scene.

PTI leadership ‘chose to flee instead of managing situation’

It claimed that in such conditions, the PTI leadership chose to flee instead of managing the situation.

Following the retreat of the protesters, federal ministers for interior and information visited the affected area and held a press briefing. The PTI had reportedly initiated a “coordinated propaganda campaign” on social media.

Propaganda on social media

The notification alleged that there was a “nefarious attempt” to attribute alleged fatalities to law enforcement agencies through propaganda.

The administration of major hospitals in the federal capital has denied any reports of deaths, it said and highlighted that old and AI-generated fake clips were used during the fabricated social media campaign. “Unfortunately, some elements of foreign media have also fallen victim to this propaganda.”

‘Over three dozen foreign mercenaries arrested’

Ministers, government officials, police officers, and the Islamabad commissioner clarified the “actual situation with verified evidence.”

In the protests, the notification claimed that as many as 39 lethal weapons, including 18 automatic firearms, were recovered from the demonstrators. Among the arrested “miscreants” are over three dozen foreign mercenaries.

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Moreover, 11 vehicles belonging to law enforcement agencies, including prison vans, were damaged Preliminary estimates indicate that the protests have caused hundreds of millions in damages.

Ministry estimates daily economic losses of Rs192b due to protests

The ministry added that protests resulted in an estimated daily economic loss of Rs192 billion.

“Due to these violent protests, indirect losses to the economy are estimated to be Rs192 billion per day,” it said. “In addition to that, significant expenditure incurred on taking necessary security measures [while] plundering of the financial resources by the KP government are separate.”