The situation seems to be out of control Pakistanwith a group of supporters of the former prime minister Imran Khan to get into Islamabadthe capital of the country.

Upon their arrival in the Pakistani capital, the Armed Forces fired tear gas at them as they approached the “red zone” in the center of the city, which houses government buildings.

4 paramilitary killed in clashes with protesters

The protesters’ march came in response to Khan’s latest rallying call to his supporters, calling on them not to leave the city until the government meets their demands.

“This is not a peaceful protest. It is extremism,” said the prime minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement issued by his office, condemning the bloodshed as aimed at achieving “evil political designs”.

Some vehicles in a convoy of protesters ran over members of the security forces, killing the paramilitaries, he added.

The interior ministry attributed the attacks to “rogues” but did not identify them further, saying 4 paramilitaries were killed.

It is noted that Khan is serving a prison sentence for corruption, a charge he does not accept. Authorities have placed all of Islamabad on lockdown, blocking highways and suspending mobile phone and internet services in several areas. During the march, which started on Sunday, the Police arrested hundreds of protesters.

Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and a close aide, Ali Amin Gandabur, who is the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, led a march that reached the capital early today, Tuesday, his party officials and eyewitnesses said in Reuters.

Khan told the protesters to head to a roundabout just outside Parliament. His party’s demands include withdrawing constitutional amendments he says the government brought in to limit the powers of the judiciary.

Islamabad is now bracing for more violence in the coming hours as Khan’s supporters pour in from other parts of the Muslim-majority country, which suffers from deep political divisions.

Imran Khan is charged with more than 150 charges, while the opposition speaks of political persecution.