Politics · Singapore Bureau
Pakistan police deploy tear gas, live fire at Khan supporters
Clashes erupted in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday as police used force against supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, amid escalating tensions over his party's provincial government suspension.
LSN Singapore ·
Police in Pakistan's northwestern region fired tear gas and live ammunition at demonstrators backing Imran Khan on Tuesday, according to party officials. The confrontations occurred as supporters protested the suspension of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party's provincial administration, marking a significant escalation in political tensions surrounding the incarcerated former premier.
The incidents underscore deepening divisions between Khan's faction and Pakistan's ruling coalition government. Khan, who was ousted as Prime Minister in 2022, currently remains in custody facing multiple legal challenges. His party has maintained that the suspension of its provincial government constitutes an unconstitutional power grab.
The use of live ammunition against protesters signals a hardening stance by authorities in dealing with Khan's supporters, who have organized periodic demonstrations demanding his release and the restoration of PTI's political standing. Tuesday's clashes represent among the most serious confrontations between security forces and Khan backers in recent months.
The developments highlight the volatile political climate in Pakistan, where competing factions have clashed repeatedly over governance and constitutional authority. International observers have expressed concern about the trajectory of political stability in the country amid the ongoing dispute.