Protesters for jailed former prime minister Khan cleared from Pakistan’s capital city center

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Protesters who marched on Pakistan’s capital to demand the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan were cleared from the city center on Wednesday after a massive security effort.

More than ten thousand protesters had poured into Islamabad since the weekend, answering Khan’s call to protest his sideline from the February election, which he claims was rigged to prevent his comeback.

The government flooded the capital with 20,000 security forces, who confronted protesters as they closed in on a public square outside parliament and the prime minister’s house, which they intended to occupy.

During the night, police and paramilitary forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters with batons and slingshots as roadblocks were set on fire.

But by early Wednesday, AFP personnel saw the main thoroughfare towards Islamabad’s government enclave cleared of crowds and rioting security forces being driven away from the area.