# November 2024 Pakistani protests

The November 2024 Pakistani protests, also called the Final Call Protest are ongoing demonstrations and protests held by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its supporters, which demand the release of the party’s founder, Imran Khan. The protests, which started on 24 November 2024 aim to reach Islamabad with several convoys to protest multiple political issues, primarily the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan and demand the resignation of the Shehbaz Sharif Administration due to rigging allegations. The Pakistani Government has accused the protests of inciting instability and has cracked down using tear gas while the Pakistan Armed Forces issued shoot-on-sight orders for protesters, which has been criticized by rights groups for a crackdown. The protests were officially suspended following the government crackdown. PTI has claimed that a massacre took place, conducted by the government using live gunfire, while the government denied this.

## Preceding events
### "Final Call" Announcement

On 13 November 2024, Imran Khan issued a “final call” for a protest at D-Chowk, Islamabad from his imprisonment in Adiala Jail. The announcement was particularly in response to the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, which was criticized for undermining the Judiciary while Khan and his party strongly opposed it. Furthermore, the announcement was made with demands to end the Sharif government’s alleged “unjust arrests” and “stolen mandate”, which refers to PTI’s claim that PML-N rigged the 2024 Pakistani general election. Khan’s aides, his sister Aleema Khanum and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur urged Pakistanis to follow the protest call, which also was for Khan’s release.

### Lockdown of Islamabad

Ahead of the protests, Pakistani Law Enforcement and the Government locked down the capital: Islamabad, fortressing the capital with many shipping containers and the deployment of thousands of armed security personnel and paramilitary forces. Several highways and roads leading to the city were also blocked and barricaded by the government in attempt to prevent protesters from entering the capital.
On 22 November 2024, Section 144 was imposed by the Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz, barring sit-ins, rallies or protests for 3 days officially due to security concerns ahead of the protests. Prior to the protest, 4,000 PTI supporters and members were arrested and detained by the government. The same day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared that PTI’s protest was unlawful and it was necessary for the government to “maintain law and order”.

### Internet restrictions

Mobile internet and access to messaging services such as WhatsApp were blocked by the government in areas of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The organization NetBlocks confirmed this alongside media sharing issues across the country.

## Course of the Protests
### Convoys

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf initiated the protest on 24 November 2024 through several convoys across the country heading for D-Chowk by road. The largest and main convoy, led by Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi left from Peshawar. The convoy also included PTI lawmaker Shahid Ahmed Khattak. The convoy would go through Swabi and cross the Hazara Interchange through removing police obstacles and barriers, then cross the Hakkla Interchange, through to reaching Islamabad. PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram claimed the number of people to be 70,000 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone.

### Government Crackdown and Clashes

The Government of Pakistan, Pakistan Police, Pakistan Armed Forces and Pakistan Rangers initiated a crackdown on the protests. Heavy tear gas shelling was initially fired at protesters prior to reaching Islamabad. Protestors reached the edge of the Red Zone resulting in deadly clashes with police. By the end of 27 November, six people were reported to be killed as the protests turned into violent clashes. Four of these were paramilitary forces and two police serving the government. 100 policemen were also reported to be injured. The Guardian reported that the government had been criticized for a “draconian response”. The government arrested 1,000 protesters. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labelled the protesters as “bloodthirsty”, further saying that it is not a peaceful protest, it is extremism. The Pakistan Armed Forces were deployed with orders of shoot-on-sight for the protesters.

## Alleged Islamabad Massacre

PTI and its supporters claimed that the government committed a "massacre", smothering protestors and firing live rounds to kill protesters in their midnight crackdown, with the arrest of 450 party supporters. The government has denied using live rounds. Pakistan's security forces have been accused of pushing a man off a stack of cargo containers during the protests in the capital. Video footage showed officers carrying riot shields with markings indicating they were affiliated with the Pakistan Rangers, approaching the man kneeling while praying on top of the containers before pushing him over the edge. The video shows him trying to cling on to the containers before falling. The protests were officially suspended by the party following the midnight crackdown.

## International Reaction

Amnesty International called for an “urgent and transparent” investigation into the crackdown which it called deadly for the protesters. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres deplored the violence in the protests, and called for calm and restraint on all sides.