Former PM Imran Khan's Supporting Mass Goes Crazy In Islamabad, Four Pakistani Soldiers Killed

UNSPLASH/Spenser H ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Four Pakistani soldiers died in the capital, Islamabad, after being hit by a convoy of protesters demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from prison.

Thousands of Khan's supporters lined up in the capital, breaking through barricades in response to his call to protest sitting near parliament to file demands ranging from the release of their leaders to the resignation of government leaders.

"This is not a peaceful protest. This is extremism," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

Several vehicles in a convoy of protesters hit security officers, killing paramilitary officers.

The interior ministry linked the attacks to "criminals" but did not identify them further, and said four soldiers were killed.

Pakistan Tereek-e-Insaaf (PTI) led by Khan did not immediately respond to a request for response to the government's accusations.

Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and her main aide, Ali Amin Ganpurchade, who is the head of the provincial minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led the convoy to the capital on Tuesday morning.

Khan has asked protesters to go to roundabouts outside parliament. His party's demands include the cancellation of constitutional amendments that the government said were carried out to limit judicial power.