PAKISTAN police launched a crackdown against former prime minister Imran Khan’s supporters and party leaders last night to thwart their planned mass protest in Islamabad tomorrow.

The Haqiqi Azadi March (March for Real Freedom) tomorrow presents a challenge to current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s shaky six-week-old government, which was established after Imran’s ouster in a controversial no-confidence vote in Parliament.

Police entered the homes of many Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders in Punjab province, including that of former minister Hammad Azhar in Lahore.

The federal coalition government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has put shipping containers on the roads to the Red Zone in Islamabad, where key government buildings are located.

The move to foil the protest came after a party meeting chaired by Shehbaz and attended virtually by Nawaz – who lives in self-exile in London – decided to confront Imran’s supporters and reject the demand for fresh polls, reported Pakistani media.

“Peaceful protest is the right of all our citizens. The brutal crackdown on PTI leaders and workers in Punjab and Islamabad has once again shown us what we are familiar with – the fascist nature of PML-N when in power,” tweeted Imran last night.

He also criticised the military establishment, whom he had a day earlier asked to remain “neutral” in his campaign against the “imported government”, which he insisted is installed with US support.

“The present crackdown also raises serious questions about the handlers.”

Many PTI leaders vowed that the Islamabad protest will go ahead.

“The imported government has resorted to cheap tactics,” said former minister Zartaj Gul Wazir, adding that police violated the privacy and sanctity of people’s homes.

“This will not stop patriotic Pakistanis from fighting for what they believe in,” said PTI Punjab president Shafqat Mahmood.

This confrontation is likely to create more economic problems for Pakistan, which is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for urgently needed funds.

Imran has made it clear that he will not back down in the face of government crackdown. – Bernama, May 24, 2022.