1 killed as police use water cannon, tear gas on Imran Khan’s supporters in Lahore

One activist of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party was killed on Wednesday during a crackdown on ousted.

Prime minister Imran Khan’s supporters who gathered outside his residence in Lahore, defying a government ban on rallies in the city.

Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse PTI activists. The party, however, claimed that its “peaceful” workers were arrested after reports emerged that the provincial capital had been placed under Section 144, banning public gatherings.

The police arrested over 100 activists of Khan’s party.

This is what the corrupt & murderous cabal of crooks have wrought on the nation. They have violated our Constitution, fundamental rights & rule of law. Innocent, unarmed PTI workers, incl women, were targets of police violence & brutality with one worker murdered while in custody pic.twitter.com/ruEKhdFG8e

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 8, 2023

“PTI worker Ali Bilal (40) was killed after receiving a head injury during the baton charge. Over a dozen have been injured and the condition of three of them is very critical,” Senior PTI leader Shireen Mazari told the media. She also said women workers of PTI were attacked by water cannons.

“They are using chemicals in the water from the water cannons being fired on our women workers especially.” Khan’s party announced that it will register a murder case against Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Punjab IGP Dr Usman Anwar and Lahore police chief Bilal Saddique Kamyana.

The PTI alleged that victim Bilal was arrested and later was inflicted brutal torture by police that resulted in his death. The party termed the police action as “fascist” and an attempt to “clear the way” to arrest 70-year-old former cricketer-turned politician.

After the bloody clashes between police and his party workers, Khan called off the party’s “pro judiciary” rally from his Zaman Park residence to Data Darbar.

In a video address after the crackdown on party workers, Khan said: “Stop everything. We are not taking out the rally that we were supposed to as, I am saddened to say, that all the moves they (the government) are making are aimed at running away from elections. They are trying to ensure that chaos spreads and that is why I am asking my workers to finish it and go home.”