Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif called in the army on Wednesday night to control the situation as PTI supporters led by Imran Khan marched into Islamabad as part of his Azadi March. The army was sent to protect vital institutions such as the Supreme Court, Parliament House, Prime Minister House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat, and diplomatic areas.
PTI party workers and supporters pushed away barriers and braved teargas shelling as they marched towards the capital. Tension escalated as Imran Khan's supporters and security personnel clashed. Khan said that he and his supporters would go for a sit-in until new elections were announced in Pakistan, but changed his mind after the 'brutal crackdown' his supporters were met with.
Khan gave the government an ultimatum of six days to call for elections, Geo TV reported. “The government tried every method to crush our Azadi March. They used teargas on peaceful protests, our homes were raided and our privacy was violated. However, I have seen the nation free itself of (the) fear of slavery,” Khan said.
“My message for the imported government is to dissolve assemblies and announce elections, otherwise I will come back again to Islamabad after six days,” he added.
