On Tuesday night, Pakistan's security forces launched an operation to disperse the protesters after they breached barriers and reached D-Chowk, an area housing key government offices and buildings. Broadcasters Geo News and ARY reported that a massive raid was launched by security forces amidst a pitch-dark central Islamabad, where lights had been turned off and teargas was fired.

At least six people, including four security personnel, were killed in Tuesday's protests, according to the Associated Press. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claimed that two protesters were killed and dozens injured in clashes with security forces.

Authorities have imposed a lockdown in Islamabad, blocking highways and suspending mobile and internet services in some areas. Reports indicate that hundreds of protesters have been arrested since the march began on Sunday.

PTI says the party has been using platforms like WhatsApp and relying heavily on social media to disseminate information. However, X (formerly Twitter), which is banned in Pakistan, has reportedly become inaccessible even with VPNs.

In a post on Social Media, Khan urged his supporters to “fight to the end.”

“My message to my team is to fight to the end. We will not back down until our demands are met,” he said.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ruled out negotiations with the protesters calling for Khan’s release. Speaking to reporters, Naqvi implied that Khan’s wife was responsible for all economic losses and the people killed during the protests.

Khan's Wife Is Leading The March 

Bushra Bibi, wife of Imran Khan, is at the forefront of the march. She was held in a high-security prison on graft charges until a few weeks ago, when she was released on bail.  Addressing PTI workers at a rally, Bushra vowed to fight for Khan's release "until her last breath."

"Until Imran Khan is with us, we will not end this protest. I will remain here until my last breath, and I ask all of you to stand by us. This isn’t just about my husband. It’s about the future of our country and the leadership we deserve," The Express Tribune quoted her as saying on Monday.

Local reports say that her presence in a convoy of vehicles and her rare public addresses to enthusiastic crowds have boosted support in her husband's absence. She marched on the capital, with large numbers coming from the party's stronghold in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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What Do The Protesters Want?

The top demand of protesters is the release of PTI leaders, including Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges. Khan, ousted through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, has since led a strong campaign against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, accusing it of conspiring with the military to remove him from power.

The former cricket star turned politician has spent over a year in jail, facing numerous cases, including allegations of corruption and leaking state secrets—charges he and his party deny. PTI also demands the resignation of the current government, which it accuses of rigging this year's general elections. 

Anti-Terrorism Case Against Imran Khan
A case under the Anti-Terrorism Act has also been registered against Khan and several PTI leaders over their alleged involvement in the killing of a police officer during the protest march.

Punjab police, in a post on X, said that Constable Muhammad Mubashir Bilal was killed at the Hakla interchange during clashes with PTI protesters on Monday. The police stated that Bilal succumbed to injuries inflicted by “miscreants” while performing his duties to maintain law and order.

An FIR filed at Taxila police station names Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and PTI leaders Salar Khan Kakar and Shahid Khatak. It includes sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, alleging the attack was part of a premeditated criminal conspiracy led by Khan and the PTI leadership.