A Cry for Justice: Protesters Death, A Shadow over D-Chowk Islamabad

At the time of the incident, protesters participating in the 'Save Gaza' demonstration were sleeping on a section of Jinnah Avenue between Express Chowk and the old Parade Ground, according to police. The streetlights in the area were off when the incident took place.

Around 2:45 AM, a speeding vehicle appeared on the road, ran over five protesters, then crashed into a police barricade and struck the inspector, police said.

The driver then accelerated away towards Ayub Chowk via Attaturk Avenue. Police on special duty for the protest alerted headquarters.

In response, a patrol team intercepted the vehicle, apprehended the driver, and took him to the station.

Authorities later filed charges at the Kohsar police station against the driver under sections 322, 337-G, 427 and 279 of the Pakistan Penal Code. He was arrested.

Police said Mohammad Roman Sajid and an unidentified 40-45 year old man died at the scene, while Mohammad Talha Ilyas, Hamad Hassan and Faisal Hayat, along with Inspector Ijaz Ahmed, were injured.

When contacted, a police spokesperson said speeding appeared to be the cause, however the driver remains under investigation and has not been arraigned in court.

The protest, organized by former Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and attended by civil society members, had been ongoing for about a week, the spokesperson said.

"Participants remain at the site around the clock, even sleeping on the road. Over two dozen were asleep when the accident occurred," the spokesperson added.

This unfortunate event brings up many unanswered questions. D-Chowk, as the highly protected center of the capital, Islamabad, has a robust surveillance camera system in place. Social media, a powerful platform for spreading messages, is rightfully buzzing with outrage and demands for transparency. People want to hold authorities responsible by pushing them to release any existing CCTV footage and conduct a thorough investigation.

This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the importance of an alert public and a properly functioning justice system. Social media empowers people to make authorities accountable and ensure incidents like this are not ignored. Let us hope that through the collective voice of the citizens, we can get justice for the victims.