Pakistan: Imran Khan's party claims firing at its rally, decries "martial law"

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 8 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has alleged that shots were fired at its members by the police during the rally in Islamabad on Sunday, which was being held demanding the release of party founder and incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The party, in its social media post, decried the "heavy shelling" on "peaceful protestors," terming it "Undeclared Martial Law."
"Scenes Pakistanis have grown accustomed to in this #UndeclaredMartialLaw. Heavy shelling by Islamabad police on peaceful Pakistanis gathered in massive numbers for Imran Khan & PTI's rally in Islamabad. Shameful, despicable, desperate, cowardly behavior by the illegitimate, authoritarian regime, over & over again. These disgraceful, unlawful acts only strengthen the people's resolve to fight for their 'Haqeeqi Azadi'!" the PTI stated in a post on X.
https://x.com/PTIofficial/status/1832794084592730209
PTI further said that the police officers should be "ashamed" adding that people have sent a "huge message" today.
"These police officers should be ashamed of themselves, for attacking one the most peaceful crowd ever. IG Islamabad and tout government should STOP playing with people's lives. This is highly disgusting and shameful, the people sent a huge message today!" it added in a subsequent post.
PTI kicked off the rally on the outskirts of Islamabad on Sunday, after being denied permission multiple times in the past, Dawn reported.
Workers from across the province gathered at the venue for the event, the party announced on the X platform.
The rally commenced with party leader Hammad Azhar addressing the crowd, where he said that supporters had gathered today to establish the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution in the country.
He added that no obstacle would deter them today.
"We will, God willing, secure Imran Khan's release," he stated.
The rally, initially scheduled for July and later August, was postponed twice after authorities revoked permission, citing security risks and fears of unrest.
The party is staging the rally to gain support for the release of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since last August.
Notably, Khan was expected to be released from prison after a district and session court accepted appeals against his conviction in the Iddat case. However, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested him in a new Toshakhana case shortly afterwards, Dawn reported.
His sentences in the previous two Toshakhana cases were already suspended, while he was also acquitted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the cipher case.
The PTI has been trying to get approval for a public meeting in the capital for the past several months, but it has not getting permission from the administration.
The party approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for permission in March after receiving no response from the district administration.
In July, the PTI announced a protest but it was postponed as district administration did not allow the party to hold the protest. The meeting was rescheduled for August 22 but district administration cancelled the NOC at the eleventh hour, giving a new date of September 8.
Even as the party finalised its preparations for the rally today, the capital police blocked almost all entry points of the city, citing intelligence reports of a 'medium-level' terrorism threat in light of the political gathering, as reported by Dawn.
Senior PTI leader and former National Assembly Speaker, Asad Qaiser, decried the placement of containers and police blockades, terming them the measures of a "fascist government...creating a hostile environment."
"It is unfortunate that this fascist government with a stolen mandate is creating such a hostile environment," Qaiser said in a video message uploaded by the PTI to X. "They approved the NOC (non-objection certificate) and the court has permitted the rally, but Rawalpindi has been closed off."
The party's Punjab spokesperson, Shaukat Basra, said in a post on X that the Punjab police hierarchy had given "unconstitutional" orders to its formations across the province (to stop workers).