Dozens of Pakistani police officers were injured in clashes with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

More than 80 police officers have been injured in clashes with supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan since Friday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday. The violence erupted near Islamabad during an anti-government rally led by the chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan's party remains in power. The march is defying a ban on gatherings as it heads toward the capital to demand Khan's release and protest against the ruling coalition.

Naqvi told reporters that the convoy fired on police and used tear gas, while police were ordered not to carry weapons to prevent further escalation. Authorities have sealed off Islamabad, blocked cellphone services, and deployed the army to boost security ahead of high-level diplomatic events, including a visit from India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The protesters plan to converge in Islamabad’s red zone, home to the country's parliament and foreign embassies. While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party claims the rally is peaceful, Naqvi has urged them to delay their protests, particularly with the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on October 15-16. He warned against crossing more red lines, citing intelligence that protesters might try to disrupt the conference.

Meanwhile, the PTI is also holding a rally in Lahore, where roads have been locked down.