An Islamic party within Pakistan's ruling coalition, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), organized a demonstration on Monday to express their discontent with the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court. The party alleges that the court has granted "blanket relief" to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in various cases. Despite the ongoing enforcement of Section 144 in the federal capital, many JUI-F workers and supporters managed to enter the Red Zone, where sensitive government buildings are located.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of 13 political parties, had previously announced the intention to stage a sit-in outside the Supreme Court to protest against Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial for allegedly favoring the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman.
The protest took place between 1 pm and 2 pm on Monday, with PDM workers gathering outside the Supreme Court. Despite the breach of the Red Zone, the situation was reported as peaceful by an Islamabad Police spokesperson.
Attempts to negotiate an alternate location for the protest between the JUI-F and authorities failed, leading the party to proceed with their demonstration outside the Supreme Court.
The recent arrest and subsequent bail of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a corruption case have intensified tensions. Khan has accused the JUI-F of orchestrating a "drama" outside the Supreme Court to influence the Chief Justice and manipulate the judicial process.
The arrest of Khan by the Pakistan Rangers at the Islamabad High Court premises last week sparked unrest across the country, resulting in several deaths and extensive damage to military and state installations. The protests also witnessed unprecedented incidents, such as the storming of the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and the torching of Lahore's historic Corps Commander's House.
The police have reported a death toll of 10 in the violent clashes, while Khan's party claims that 40 of its workers lost their lives due to security personnel's firing.
(With PTI Inputs)
