Imran's Azadi March enters Islamabad, Army deployed in Red Zone

The army was called in by the Shehbaz Sharif government in the early hours on Thursday to protect the Red Zone of Islamabad as former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan entered the capital with his Azadi march. As per Dawn report, among the buildings that will be protected are the Supreme Court, Parliament House, Prime Minister House, Presidency, Pakistan Secretariat and Diplomatic enclaves. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah tweeted a notification saying the government was "pleased to authorise the deployment" of the army in Red Zone under Article 245 of the Constitution.

The Federal Government is pleased to authorize deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Army in Red Zone under Article 245. pic.twitter.com/85Nex2xama

— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@PresPMLNPunjab) May 25, 2022

Earlier, during a brief stopover in Hasan Abdal approximately 50 kilometres away from the capital, Imran reiterated that he and his supporters would not vacate D-Chowk until a date for new elections was announced by the "imported government".

These are visuals from Islamabad, with Chairman PTI @ImranKhanPTI leading the caravan! #حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ pic.twitter.com/R3W3NclFW0

— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 25, 2022

Just before Imran Khan entered Islamabad, reports of continuous tear gas shelling in the Blue Area emerged. Pakistan's Geo News reported its office came under the attack of the PTI workers injuring some media workers. No police personnel were present outside of the building for its security, it reported. Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted Imran Khan's party to hold his Azadi march near Peshawar Mor between the H-9 and G-9 area of Islamabad and restrained the government from arresting PTI workers.