Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Rome as tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in major European cities and around the globe Saturday to call for a cease-fire as the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel approached. Huge rallies were held in several European cities, with gatherings expected to continue over the weekend and peak on Monday, the date of the anniversary. In Rome, several thousands demonstrated peacefully Saturday afternoon until a smaller group tried to push the rally toward the center of the city, in spite of a ban by local authorities who refused to authorize protests, citing security concerns. Some protesters, dressed in black and with their faces covered threw stones, bottles and paper bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, eventually dispersing the crowd. At least 30 law enforcement officers and three demonstrators were injured in the clashes, local media reported. The rally in Rome had been calm earlier, with people chanting “Free Palestine, Free Lebanon,” waving Palestinian flags and holding banners calling for an immediate stop to the conflict. In London, thousands marched through the capital to Downing Street amid a heavy police presence. The atmosphere was tense as pro-Palestinian protesters and counterdemonstrators, some holding Israeli flags, passed one another. Scuffles broke out as police officers pushed back activists trying to get past a cordon. At least 17 people were arrested on suspicion of public order offenses, supporting a proscribed organization and assault, London's Metropolitan Police said. In the northern German city of Hamburg, about 950 people staged a peaceful demonstration with many waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags or chanting “Stop the Genocide,” the DPA news agency reported, citing a count by police. Two smaller pro-Israeli counterdemonstrations took place without incident, it said. Several thousands protesters gathered peacefully at Paris’ Republique Plaza in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. Many were waving Palestinian flags while holding posters reading ”stop the genocide,” “free Palestine,” and “hands off Lebanon.” Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also gathered at New York’s Times Square to call for a cease-fire, chanting “Gaza!" to a drumbeat. Some wore keffiyeh scarfs, waved Palestinian and Lebanese flags and held a large cardboard image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with red paint symbolizing blood across his face. Rallies were also planned in several other cities in the United States as well as in other parts of the world, including Denmark, Switzerland, South Africa and India. In the Philippines, dozens of left-wing activists protested near the U.S. Embassy in Manila, where police prevented them from getting closer to the seaside compound. Read: Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies in Europe amid high alert as Oct. 7 anniversary nears Pro-Israeli demonstrations are expected to be held Sunday because Jews across the world are still observing Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish new year. This year, emotions will be high for many given that the midpoint of the 10 days spanning Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is Oct. 7 — the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. High security alerts Security forces in several countries warned of heightened levels of alert in major cities, amid concerns that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could inspire new terror attacks in Europe or that the protests could turn violent. Pro-Palestinian protests calling for an immediate cease-fire have repeatedly taken place across Europe and around the globe in the past year and have often turned violent, with confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. Italian authorities believed that the timing of Saturday's rally in Rome risked the Oct. 7 attack being “glorified,” local media reported. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also stressed that, ahead of the key anniversary, Europe is on high alert for potential terror attacks. “This is not a normal situation. … We are already in a condition of maximum prevention,” he said. Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Britain, said he and others will keep organizing marches until action against Israel is taken. “We need to be out on the streets in even bigger numbers to stop this carnage and stop Britain being drawn into it,” Jamal said. In Berlin, a march is scheduled from the Brandenburg Gate to Bebelplatz on Sunday. Local media reported that security forces have warned of potential overload because of the scale of protests. German authorities pointed to increasing antisemitic and violent incidents in recent days. Read more:Dozens arrested in new pro-Palestinian protests at UCLA Earlier this week in France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned the country’s regional prefects, expressing concern about possible tensions and saying that the terrorist threat was high. Thousands rally in DC for Gaza and Lebanon About 3,000 people demonstrated within sight of the White House, protesting the year-old Israeli siege of Gaza and the widening attacks on Lebanon. Amid a heavy police presence, the protesters gathered at Lafayette Park, the same site as the summer 2020 protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in police custody. The crowds chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!” One speaker on stage commemorated Oct. 7, 2023, as “the day that Gazans finally broke out of their prison.” The crowds then marched through downtown D.C., with police closing the streets ahead of them. Dozens of protesters carried signs criticizing the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the issue. One sign read: “Abandon Harris ’24.” Law student Annette Tunstall said she had a brief moment when she considered voting Democrat after Biden stepped down and Harris assumed the candidacy. But she lost faith when she said pro-Palestinian voices were muzzled at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Read more:Police clear Pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University, dozens arrested “I really wanted to feel like I could vote for her in good conscience,” Tunstall said. “I don’t think it would have taken a lot for thousands of pro-Palestinian people to hold their nose and vote for Harris.” A tense and bloody year On Oct. 7 last year, Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis, taking 250 people hostage and setting off a war with Israel that has shattered much of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since then in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Nearly 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with fewer than 70 believed to be alive. Israelis have experienced attacks — missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, explosive drones from Yemen, fatal shootings and stabbings — as the region braces for further escalation. In late September, Israel shifted some of its focus to Hezbollah, which it seeks to push back from its border in parts of south Lebanon where the group is entrenched.

The BNP and some like-minded parties and alliances, staged demonstrations and rallies in different areas of the capital on Sunday, in support of their ongoing 48-hour hartal in protest against the schedule for the next national election. The opposition parties urged the Election Commission (EC) to immediately cancel the schedule for holding a credible and inclusive election. The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies brought out sudden processions in different areas, including Tejgaon, Fakirapool,Jhigatola, Badda, Malibagh, Gulshan, Banani, Green Road, Dhanmondai, Ramna, Mothijheel during the first day of the 48-hour hartal. AL to take country’s development to new height: FM As in the previous days since October 29, BNP’s Nayapaltan central office remained locked on Sunday amid the presence of law enforcers on roads on both sides in front of the BNP central office. Ganatantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Somomana Jote, Gono Odhikar Parishad, 12-party alliance LDP, Labour Party, Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad, Gonoforum-NPP and Left Democratic Alliance also staged demonstrations and rallies in Bijoynagar, Purana Paltan, Nightingale crossing, Jatiya Press Club and Motijheel areas. From these processions and rallies, the opposition leaders and activists chanted various slogans against the Election Commission and the government for their ‘attempt’ to hold a lopsided election. BNP and other opposition parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, enforced the shutdown at 6am across the country. Jatiya Party is ready for national election: Raushan This is the first hartal being observed by the opposition parties since the EC announced to hold the 12-parliamentary polls on January 7. On November 15, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced that the 12th parliamentary election of the country will be held on January 7. Ganatantra Mancha brought out a procession at Bijoynagar around 12:30pm that ended in front of the Jatiya Press Club through a brief rally. Speaking at the rally, the alliance leaders alleged that the Awami League government wants to hold another 'farcical' election like in 2014 and 2018, leaving the country and its people in danger. Chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon Junaid Saki said most of the country’s opposition parties are now united to resist a one-sided election under the current government. Polls will be held timely, won't be deferred: FM He said Awami League wants to score in an empty field without any opponent. “If another lopsided election is held, the country will not only face an economic crisis but also a terrible diplomatic crisis in the international arena," he added. Saki said the government is putting the country's people in danger just to hang onto power by any means. He said the Jatiya Party, an alliance partner of Awami League, is also saying no fair election is possible under the current regime. "Shame on Awami League as it is canvassing for vote rigging as election. We the people will not allow the future of Bangladesh to be destroyed like this. That's why we’ll continue this movement and we will turn victorious,” Saki observed. Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party urged the government to create a democratic environment by suspending the election schedule, releasing all opposition leaders and workers unconditionally and withdrawing thousands of cases filed against them. “All people rejected the election schedule. Even then, the leaders of the ruling party are making false statements resorting to deception. Even the devil gets ashamed of hearing their (AL leaders') deceitful statements,” he said.

Bangladesh authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the assaults on at least 27 journalists covering recent political rallies and hold the perpetrators accountable, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said. On October 28, at least 27 journalists covering rallies in Dhaka were attacked. CPJ spoke to journalists who accused BNP supporters of attacking the journalists. Md Rafsan Jani, a crime reporter for the daily Kalbela newspaper, told CPJ that he was filming BNP supporters assaulting police officers when two demonstrators approached him and took his phone and identification card. A group of BNP supporters then surrounded Jani and beat him with iron rods, sticks, and pipes as he repeatedly identified himself as a journalist, he said, adding that he managed to escape after around 20 minutes. CPJ, rights groups call for stopping ‘harassment’ of journalist Rozina As of November 1, his items had not been returned. The CPJ also took note of The Daily Star report that claimed Awami League demonstrators beat the daily Kalbela reporter Abu Saleh Musa while covering their rally. “The attacks on at least 27 Bangladeshi journalists covering recent political rallies in Dhaka must see swift and transparent accountability,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna. “The leadership and supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League, as well as police, must respect the rights of journalists to freely and safely report on the lead-up to the upcoming election scheduled for January,” he said. SA Masum, a photographer for the daily Inqilab newspaper, told CPJ that he was taking photos of a confrontation between Awami League and BNP supporters when his head was repeatedly struck from behind with what he suspected to be a bamboo stick, knocking him unconscious while the attackers, whom he did not identify, continued to beat him. Bystanders at the scene rescued Masum and took him to the hospital, where he was treated for a concussion and severe bruising and open lesions throughout his body, according to the journalist, who shared photos of his injuries with CPJ. Md Sirajum Salekin, a crime reporter for the Dhaka Times, told CPJ that he was on his motorcycle on the way to cover clashes at the chief justice’s residence when a vehicle hit his motorcycle from behind, causing him to fall and break two bones in his right leg. Record number of journalists jailed worldwide in 2020: CPJ  Salekin said he believed he was targeted because he was wearing his press badge and his motorcycle was marked with a sticker of the Dhaka Times. Mohammad Ali Mazed, a video reporter for the French news agency Agence France-Presse, told CPJ that he was covering a clash between police and BNP demonstrators while holding a camera and press identification when five to six demonstrators surrounded him. The demonstrators damaged Mazed’s camera and other news equipment and beat him on his head, back, and right shoulder with bamboo sticks for around three minutes until the journalist fled the scene with the assistance of bystanders, he said. CPJ names Shahidul Alam among four for Int’l Press Freedom Awards 2020 Sazzad Hossain, a freelance photographer working with Bangla Tribune and international outlets, including the British newspaper The Guardian and photo agency SOPA Images, told CPJ that BNP protesters threw broken bricks at him and trampled him while he was covering a clash with police. Salahuddin Ahmed Shamim, a freelance photographer reporting for the news agency Fair News Service, told CPJ that he was covering BNP protesters assaulting police officers when seven to eight of the party’s supporters surrounded him, beat him in the back with bamboo sticks, and kicked him for around 15 minutes. Two journalists who spoke to CPJ — Sheikh Hasan Ali, chief photojournalist for Kaler Kantho newspaper, and Ahammad Foyez, senior correspondent for New Age newspaper — said they were struck with rubber bullets when police attempted to disperse BNP protesters, leaving them with minor injuries. Ali told CPJ that an unidentified man hit the Kaler Kantho photographer Lutfor Rahman with a bamboo stick on his right shoulder while covering the same clashes. Md Hanif Rahman, a photographer for Ekushey TV, told CPJ that he and Ekushey TV reporter Touhidur Rahman were covering an arson attack on a police checkpoint when they were surrounded by a group of 10 to 12 men who beat him with pipes and sticks and pushed Touhidur. Rabiul Islam Rubel, a reporter for the daily Kalbela, told CPJ that he was among a crowd of BNP supporters while covering the clashes at the chief justice’s residence when 15 to 20 men threw bricks at him while shouting that journalists are “government brokers.” Jony Rayhan, a reporter for the daily Kalbela, told CPJ that BNP supporters beat him while covering their rally. Rayhan was also injured by a sound grenade that landed in front of him while police were trying to disperse the demonstrators, he said. Salman Tareque Sakil, chief reporter for Bangla Tribune, told CPJ that he sustained a leg fracture after a brick was thrown at him while covering the BNP rally. Jubair Ahmed, a Bangla Tribune reporter, told CPJ that while police were dispersing BNP demonstrators, a tear gas shell landed in front of him, blurring his vision before the protesters trampled him while fleeing the scene. Tahir Zaman, a reporter for the news website The Report, was also injured by a rubber bullet while covering clashes at the BNP rally, CPJ said. Read more: Day 3 of blockade: 4 vehicles burnt in Dhaka, Narayanganj so far

As part of the ongoing simultaneous movement, the main opposition BNP, its associate bodies and like-minded parties who prioritise restoration of the country's democracy through a return to fair elections are set to hold rallies in cities across all divisions on Saturday to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government. The programme is also meant for registering the opposition parties’ protest against the rise in the prices of power, gas and essential items, and mounting pressure on the government to release BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition, essentially to drop the 'false' cases against her. This will be  the 10th programme of the simultaneous movement that started coalescing in December, towards the end of a very successful divisional rally programme of the BNP that attracted massive crowds in all ten locations it visited. Tomorrow's programme was announced from the human chain programme observed in all district towns and 13 organisational divisional cities, including Dhaka on March 11. As part of the programme, BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units will arrange a rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the afternoon. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the party secretary general, will address the rally as the chief guest. Besides, all other metropolitan city units of BNP will also arrange a similar programme to be attended by party senior leaders, including standing committee members.  Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, 12-party alliance, Bam Ganatantrik Oikya and LDP will also hold separate rallies from 11-12 pm in different areas of the capital. In December last year, BNP and like-minded parties and alliances started a simultaneous movement based on their common objective of ousting the present government and holding the next election under a non-party neutral government. So far, they have arranged rallies, human chains, sit-ins and road march programmes in all unions, districts and divisional cities across the country to press home their 10-point demand. Besides, the leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka north and south city units observed the road march programme in five areas in the capital since January 28.

The High Court (HC) today (October 30, 2022) issued a rule, asking why the provision empowering the police commissioner to ban rallies or meetings in the Dhaka metropolitan area should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional. The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order following a writ petition. Four people, including the law ministry secretary, home ministry secretary, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner were made respondents to the rule. Read more: HC issues rule on ethics code for news media Advocate Abdul Momen Chowdhury appeared for the writ petitioner in the court. Attorney General AM Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General Arobinda Kumar Roy represented the state. On October 20, Supreme Court lawyers Abdul Momen Chowdhury and KM Zabir, Chandpur Bar Association lawyer Selim Akbar, and two individuals Shah Nuruzzaman and Mohammad Yasin filed the writ petition challenging Section 29 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance 1976. Section 29 states that the police commissioner may prohibit any public gathering or procession whenever needed and for the period that he/she considers necessary through written order for the maintenance of peace or public safety. But no such prohibition shall remain in force for more than 30 days without permission of the government. Read More: BNP rally begins defying transport strike in Rangpur Lawyer Abdul Momen Chowdhury said Section 29 of the ordinance conflicts with Article 37 of the constitution and goes against fundamental rights. Meanwhile, the state counsels said public gatherings are not always prohibited by police, except when there is any possibility of chaos. If two political parties call rallies at the same venue, there might be chaos.

Chanting crowds marched in the streets of Berlin, Washington DC and Los Angeles on Saturday in a show of international support for demonstrators facing a violent government crackdown in Iran, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of that country's morality police. On the U.S. National Mall, thousands of women and men of all ages — wearing green, white and red, the colors of the Iran flag — shouted in rhythm. “Be scared. Be scared. We are one in this,” demonstrators yelled, before marching to the White House. “Say her name! Mahsa!” The demonstrations, put together by grassroots organizers from around the United States, drew Iranians from across the Washington D.C. area, with some travelling down from Toronto to join the crowd. In Los Angeles, home to the biggest population of Iranians outside of Iran, a throng of protesters formed a slow-moving procession along blocks of a closed downtown street. They chanted for the fall of Iran's government and waved hundreds of Iranian flags that turned the horizon into a undulating wave of red, white and green. “We want freedom,” they thundered. Shooka Scharm, an attorney who was born in the U.S. after her parents fled the Iranian revolution, was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom” in English and Farsi. In Iran “women are like a second-class citizen and they are sick of it,” Scharm said. Iran's nationwide antigovernment protest movement first focused on the country’s mandatory hijab covering for women following Amiri’s death on Sept. 16. The demonstrations there have since transformed into the greatest challenge to the Islamic Republic since the 2009 Green Movement over disputed elections. In Tehran on Saturday, more antigovernment protests took place at several universities. Iran’s security forces have dispersed gatherings in that country with live ammunition and tear gas, killing over 200 people, including teenage girls, according to rights groups. The Biden administration has said it condemns the brutality and repression against the citizens of Iran and that it will look for ways to impose more sanctions against the Iranian government if the violence continues. Between chants, protesters in D.C. broke into song, singing traditional Persian music about life and freedom — all written after the revolution in 1979 brought religious fundamentalists to power in Iran. They sang one in particular in unison — “Baraye,” meaning because of, which has become the unofficial anthem of the Iran protests. The artist of that song, Shervin Hajipour, was arrested shortly after posting the song to his Instagram in late September. It accrued more than 40 million views. “Because of women, life, freedom,” protesters sang, echoing a popular protest chant: “Azadi" — Freedom. The movement in Iran is rooted in the same issues as in the U.S. and around the globe, said protester Samin Aayanifard, 28, who left Iran three years ago. “It’s forced hijab in Iran and here in America, after 50 years, women’s bodies are under control,” said Aayanifard, who drove from East Lansing, Michigan to join the D.C. march. She referred to rollbacks of abortion laws in the United States. “It’s about control over women’s bodies.” Several weeks of Saturday solidarity rallies in the U.S. capital have drawn growing crowds. In Berlin, a crowd estimated by German police at several tens of thousands turned out to show solidarity for the women and activists leading the movement for the past few weeks in Iran. The protests in Germany's capital, organized by the Woman(asterisk) Life Freedom Collective, began at the Victory Column in Berlin’s Tiergarten park and continued as a march through central Berlin. Some demonstrators there said they had come from elsewhere in Germany and other European countries to show their support. “It is so important for us to be here, to be the voice of the people of Iran, who are killed on the streets,” said Shakib Lolo, who is from Iran but lives in the Netherlands. “And this is not a protest anymore, this is a revolution, in Iran. And the people of the world have to see it.”

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday predicted that a mass uprising will be created across the country through their party’s rallies in divisional cities scheduled to begin on Wednesday. "We hope there will be a mass uprising through the rallies.  People in their thousands will participate in the rallies. We’ll topple this regime through our peaceful programmes,” he said. Fakhrul came up with comments while talking to journalists after the dialogue with the Islami Oikya Jote and the Democratic League, the two components of the 20-party alliance, at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office. As part of the party’s planned divisional programmes, Chattogram city unit BNP is going to organise a rally on Polo Ground in the port city tomorrow (on Wednesday) where Mirza Fakhrul will speak as the chief guest. This will be the first divisional rally in protest against the ongoing power crisis, unusual price hikes in daily essentials and killing of five opposition activists in police firing in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore during BNP’s agitation.   Read: BNP determined to build non-communal Bangladesh: Fakhrul As part of its move to continue the pace of the ongoing movement, BNP on September 27 announced to hold public rallies in 10 divisional cities. The party will conclude the divisional rallies through a huge mass gathering in Dhaka city on December 10. Talks with two parties About the discussions with the two parties, Fakhrul said they have been holding dialogues with different political parties for forging national unity against the current unelected and looter regime that has snatched democracy and human rights. “We’re now holding that second round of talks and we’re talking about the core demands of the simultaneous movement,” he said. Fakhrul said they have already sat with 11 parties in their second phase of political dialogue. “We’ve agreed to initiate a simultaneous movement to force the current regime to step down.”  Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Advocate Maulana Abdur Rakib and Democratic League General Secretary Saifuddin Ahmed Moni led the delegations of their respective parties in the talks. Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of BNP and 20-party coordinator, was also present during the meetings with the two parties. BNP began its second phase of dialogue with the first meeting with the Kalyan Party on October 2 last. The party also sat in talks with the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) and Oli Ahmed’s LDP, Kalyan Party, Labour Party, National People’s Party, Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) and Muslim League to finalise the demands and issues of the anti-government movement. Earlier, BNP had discussions with 23 parties during its first phase of talks that began on May 24 to work out the outline for launching a united movement to 'restore' democracy and people’s voting rights.

As part of the party’s move to intensify its ongoing ant-government movement, BNP has drawn up a program of public rallies at 16 spots in Dhaka city  till September 27, in protest against the increase in transport fares, and the prices of essentials and  fuel oils. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme, to be organized jointly by the party’s Dhaka North and Dhaka South units, from a rally in front of the party’s Nayapaltan central office.  The rallies are also meant for registering the party’s protest against the killings of Bhola Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam, Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Narayanganj Jubo Dal leader Shaon Prodhan. Fakhrul said, “We’ve initiated a movement and it’ll continue. We would arrange protest rallies at 16 spots of the capital, including this one, until September 27.” Once these programmes are observed, he said they will announce the next  programmes of action across the country. “Join the movement,” Fakhrul urged. As part of the programmes, a rally arranged by Dhaka south city unit’s Motijheel, Paltan and Shahjahanpur zone was arranged in front of the BNP  central office today (on Saturday). Read: Get ready for final push against AL govt: Fakhrul to BNP activist The party’s Uttara east zone will arrange a rally on September 11 (tomorrow)while Shahbagh and Ramna on September 12  in front of Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, Uttara west zone on September 13, Pallabi zone on September 15, Sutrapur and Dholaikhal on September 16, Postagola on September 18, Gulshan on September 19, Basabo on September 20, Mirpur  on September 21, Konapara on September 22, Mohammadpur on September 23, Kamrangirchar on September 24, Badda September 25, Kalabagan zone September 26 and finally Tejgaon zone on September 27. Besides, he said Dhaka south and north city units will arrange a silent sit-in programme by holding candles on September 27. Fakhrul said strong unity of people is now necessary for the restoration of democracy and getting rid of misrule through an effective movement. The BNP has been organising demonstrations across the country since the government raised fuel prices and adopted the Loadshedding policy. BNP has also been alleging  that their  three  activists were  killed while over 1,000 were injured as police and ruling party men worked together to attacked the party’s programmes in different parts of the country.

Since he was toppled by parliament five months ago, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has demonstrated his continued popularity with mass rallies across Pakistan, signaling to his rivals that he remains a considerable political force. On Tuesday, he addressed some 25,000 supporters in the northwestern city of Peshawar, the capital of deeply conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Khan said he would soon organize a mass march to the capital, as a culmination of his campaign to force the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to hold a snap election, which some analysts say Khan might win due a groundswell of support. “I will soon give you a call for a march on Islamabad,” Khan told the cheering crowd, then asked: “Are you ready for it?” “Yes,” came the response from his supporters. Read: Modi congratulates next British PM Liz Truss Sharif has rejected the demand for early elections, saying the vote should take place as scheduled in 2023. As during previous rallies, Tuesday’s speech was not shown live by TV stations on instructions from the country’s media regulatory agency. The regulators have banned broadcasting his live speeches, purportedly because of his recent critical remarks about the military and judiciary. Viewers also had difficulty accessing the speech via YouTube and other social media. Since his ouster, Khan has claimed that the current government came into power under a plot by the U.S. which allegedly disagreed with his more independent foreign policy; Washington has denied such a claim. Khan had served as prime minister for over three-and-a-half years until he was brought down by an alliance of political parties in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April. In a new twist to his comeback campaign, the former cricket star-turned-Islamist politician faces terrorism charges for allegedly threatening police and a judge at a rally last month in Islamabad. At the time, Khan sharply criticized the authorities for having arrested his close aide Shahbaz Gill on charges of inciting troops to mutiny against top army generals. Khan could face several years in prison under Pakistan’s 1997 anti-terrorism law, which grants police wider powers. He is currently on a type of bail that shields him from arrest until Sept. 12. “Look, a terrorist is standing in front of you,” Khan sarcastically told the crowd Tuesday evening. Analysts say that even in the opposition, Khan remains a political force. “Yes, Imran Khan will win elections whenever the voting takes place,” predicted Rana Akram Rabbani, a newspaper columnist and former senior politician. In Tuesday’s speech, Khan again attacked Washington, saying his removal from office was the result of a U.S.-organized plot and collusion with Sharif. Both have denied the allegation. Khan said Pakistan should not allow its soil to be used for attacks against any country. His comments come amid reports that the U.S. drones were using Pakistan’s air space for surveillance in neighboring Afghanistan, where the Afghan Taliban seized power last year. Khan is a vocal critic of military operations. Read: Typhoon batters South Korea, forcing thousands to flee Even before coming to power, he called for the resolution of the Afghan issue through peace talks. Addressing the United States on Tuesday, he said he wants friendship with Washington, but that “we will not accept your slavery.” Khan has said in recent months that the United States wanted him gone because of his foreign policy choices in favor of Russia and China, and a visit he made on Feb. 24 to Moscow, where he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Khan has said he was not aware that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would start during his visit. After coming to power in 2018, Khan initially enjoyed excellent ties with the military. His troubles began when he resisted the appointment of a new spy chief by the army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa. Although the issue was later resolved, analysts say Khan and Bajwa never repaired the relationship and that Khan still believes Bajwa was part of the alleged plot to topple him. Khan claimed Tuesday that his political opponents tried to drive a wedge between him and the army which traditionally plays an out-sized role in Pakistan politics. “I love my army,” Khan said.

BNP has decided to reschedule its 32 rallies in different districts due to a sharp rise in Covid infection rate. “We earlier said the restriction (on public rallies in open spaces) imposed by the government is illogical and ineffective. Even then, we’ve decided to reschedule our rallies, taking into account the public interest,” said BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan. Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he urged the central leaders of BNP and its associate bodies in all metropolitan cities and districts to continue their preparations for the holding the rallies on the rescheduled dates. Read: AL conspiring to rig votes again, alleges BNP Replying to a question, the BNP leader said they did not postpone their rallies as they have only rescheduled those. The fresh dates for the rallies in 32 districts will be announced later. Amid the spike in Covid cases due to the transmission of the Omicron variant, the government on imposed various restrictions, including public gatherings, social programmes, political and religious events that came into effect on Thursday. Nazrul said the government has imposed the restriction on public rallies and gatherings in open spaces when local body elections are going on and the markets, shops and educational institutions remain opened. He said experts are saying the risk of the transmission of Omicron is less in open spaces than in closed ones. “But the government has been allowing public gatherings in closed spaces instead of in open ones.  “The main purpose of the restrictions is to obstruct our programmers of the ongoing movement as the government has failed to thwart those by imposing section 144.” He said the efforts of snatching people’s democratic rights by an ‘undemocratic’ regime are very usual. BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said the government’s 11-point restriction to contain Covid transmission is contradictory to ongoing elections to Narayanganj City Corporation and other local bodies. "The government has so far not requested the Election Commission to suspend the local body polls considering the overall situation. “So, there’s no doubt that the ban on public rallies is politically motivated." On 5 January, the party announced to hold rallies in its 40 more organisational districts from January 8 in the second phase to force the government to allow its chairperson Khaleda Zia to go abroad for advanced medical treatment. As per the schedule, the party was supposed to hold rallies in six days – January 8, 12, 15, 17, 22 and 24 – to mount pressure on the government to allow Khaleda Zia to go abroad for treatment. The party formally inaugurated the second-phase programmes through a rally in Brahmanbaria on 8 January. Read: Ban on public rallies in open space unacceptable: BNP On January 12, BNP arranged 7 more rallies in its 12 organisational districts. In the first phase, the party held rallies in 23 districts from 22 to 30 December to press for the same demand. Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since 13 November. Her medical board members said Khaleda immediately needs to go abroad for better treatment as she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis.