Islamabad, Pakistan – The Pakistani government has leveled several charges, including one related to “terrorism”. Against former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers protest Held in Islamabad this week.

Khan, Bibi and others have been charged with “terrorism”, violations of A. The law restricts protests in the capital.Attacks on police, kidnapping, interference in government affairs and violation of Section 144, which prohibits gatherings of more than four people.

Authorities have already arrested around 1,000 workers from Khan’s PTI party who traveled to Islamabad on Sunday to participate in a sit-in in response to their leader’s “ultimate call” to protest against the government.

PTI founder Khan has been in jail since August 2023 and is facing dozens of criminal cases. Bibi was also jailed for nine months this year before being released in October.

The protesters, who managed to reach central Islamabad despite the government erecting roadblocks across the country, demanded Khan’s release, among other demands. Bibi led the protest along with PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

When the protesters reached the planned sit-in site on Tuesday afternoon, paramilitary forces reportedly opened fire to disperse the crowd.

Later that evening, law enforcement launched a two-hour operation that cleared the area. That night both Bibi and Gandapur left for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On Wednesday morning, the PTI issued a statement announcing the “temporary” suspension of the sit-in and saying at least eight of its supporters had been killed by authorities.

However, on Thursday, Information Minister Ataullah Tarar and Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal categorically rejected the claim that law enforcement officials used any live ammunition or that any PTI worker was killed.

Speaking at a news conference held in Islamabad for foreign media, Tarr said that the hospital authorities have confirmed that they have not found any body.

“The health department has issued two statements, one from the polyclinic and the other from Pimms Hospital,” Tarar said in response to a question from Al Jazeera, referring to Islamabad’s two largest public hospitals. There are no bodies.”

The death toll is alleged to be between 10 and 200, with PTI leaders issuing conflicting statements.

Hospital officials declined to give details of the injured and dead, telling Al Jazeera they were “forbidden” from sharing information, a charge denied by the government. The government added that fake lists are circulating online.

“A fake list of injured and dead was published on social media, but it is wrong. PTI is only trying to politicize the dead and bodies lying around,” Tarr told media on Thursday. looking for

The conflict deepened when journalist Matiullah Jan, a staunch critic of Pakistan’s military, was arrested.

John was reportedly investigating the alleged killings during the protests for his YouTube channel. A preliminary police report against him has accused him of drug trafficking, “terrorism” and assaulting police officers.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)-led government came to power in February after the PTI refused to form a government despite winning the largest number of seats in the National Assembly (93). The party accused the army of rigging the election to undermine its mandate.

The PMLN later formed a coalition government but faced stiff resistance from the PTI, which staged four major protests in as many months demanding Khan’s release and challenging the credibility of the election results. have done