Overview

• Thousands of Imran Khan's supporters gathered in Islamabad to demand his release, defying government orders and court bans on protests in the capital.
• Security forces conducted a late-night operation under a power blackout, using tear gas and reportedly firing live ammunition, though officials deny the latter claim.
• Conflicting accounts report between 6 and 40 deaths, with hospitals allegedly pressured to suppress information about casualties.
• Nearly 1,000 protesters have been arrested since the weekend, with authorities claiming weapons were seized at the protest site.
• The protests have been called off temporarily, with analysts suggesting the political strategy of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has suffered a significant setback.