Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Information Minister Ataullah Tarar announced that PTI protesters had been dispersed, with many fleeing towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Reports indicated that K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi, wife of PTI founder Imran Khan, had also reached K-P.
“The law enforcement personnel have cleared the area and ended the protest,” Naqvi stated, adding that Gandapur and Bushra Bibi had fled. Tarar echoed this, confirming that PTI protesters had abandoned the capital. Both ministers assured that normalcy would be restored during the day.
The crackdown unfolded late at night, targeting PTI protesters who had entered the federal capital. Hundreds of workers were arrested during the operation. Amid intense shelling, Bushra Bibi and Gandapur reportedly fled in a car.
The situation in the capital resembled a battlefield as PTI protesters briefly gathered near D-Chowk on the third day of their “final call” for Imran Khan’s release. Protesters broke through barriers, including containers, as they marched toward Parliament, led by Gandapur and joined by Bushra Bibi.
Starting the day by clashing with law enforcement and allegedly firing tear gas back at officials, protesters managed to reach D-Chowk. Video footage of protesters standing on containers near Parliament embarrassed the government but showcased restraint. However, the Army, summoned with shoot-on-sight orders, later forced the protesters back from the area.
Before being repelled, Bushra Bibi addressed the protesters, urging them not to leave without securing Imran Khan’s release. Her first appearance in a PTI protest overshadowed Gandapur, as she called on him to lead from the front. Her involvement galvanized the demonstrators, providing a significant morale boost.
Despite a symbolic declaration of victory, the protest was short-lived as security forces launched an operation after sundown. By 7 PM, the area descended into darkness as lights were cut before the forces pushed protesters back further. Clashes persisted until late at night, with the government announcing no further talks with PTI.
After midnight, law enforcement cleared the area, arresting dozens of protesters, while PTI leaders remained absent. Special teams were reportedly formed to apprehend PTI leadership. PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, speaking at 2 AM, said the party was still deliberating on the situation and gathering information about injured workers.
Minister Tarar declared the PTI had suffered a significant setback, sarcastically calling their “final call” a “missed call.” He claimed protesters fled, abandoning their belongings, while Bushra Bibi and Gandapur escaped. Reports confirmed over 450 arrests during the crackdown.
On November 13, PTI presented four demands: the release of Imran Khan and political prisoners, reversal of the 26th constitutional amendment, restoration of democracy, and return of the alleged stolen mandate from the 2024 General Elections.
