Calm returns to Pakistani capital Islamabad as opposition supporters back to homes

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Calm returned to the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Thursday as supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan returned to their homes after a security operation by the government.

Businesses and roads inside and outside the capital reopened after Islamabad remained under lockdown for at least four days.

However, people are complaining that social media apps are still not working properly due to slow internet.

Thousands of protesters, who were dislodged during a security operation on Tuesday night, returned to their homes as Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said it plans to "continue" with its protest.

Khan had called for a rally on Sunday to Islamabad to seek the release of political prisoners, probe into alleged rigging of elections, as well as undoing of judicial changes, while the government has denied any wrongdoing.

Islamabad police said it arrested around 1,000 supporters of Khan and have filed at least seven cases against the PTI members.

- 'Anarchist elements' cannot be allowed to obstruct progress: Premier

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed Khan's party over protests, and said: “Anarchist elements cannot be allowed to obstruct the development and progress of the country.”

"Once again an assault was mounted on Islamabad, but on previous (Tuesday) night, all the law enforcement agencies had collectively and with good strategy dispersed the protest and provided relief to the public," Sharif said late Wednesday.

However, the opposition party accused security forces of allegedly "shooting" their workers during the security operation.

The government has rejected the allegations.

“It is important to note that, as of now, no death has been reported, and the claims circulating regarding any such incidents are baseless and unverified,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, a journalist based in Islamabad, Matiullah Jan, has been missing since Wednesday, according to a member of his family.

In a video message, his son Abdul Razzaq said that Jan was picked up by an “unidentified person” from the premises of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Islamabad. However, later Thursday, Islamabad police confirmed they arrested Jan in a case of snatching a rifle from a policeman and misbehaving them.

In a separate incident along the border with Afghanistan, the death toll in sectarian clashes jumped to 107 on Thursday.

Five more casualties were reported in renewed clashes in the Kurram district of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to officials. The clashes began last week.

* Aamir Latif contributed to this story from Karachi.