2 killed as car runs over pro-Palestine protesters in Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan

At least two pro-Palestine protesters were killed when a car ran over their encampment near parliament in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, police confirmed on Monday.

The incident occurred late Sunday night when a man drove his car into a camp set up by the "Save the Gaza movement," a civil society campaign against Israel’s onslaught on Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, and then sped away after injuring several people.

One of the injured died on Sunday night, while another succumbed to his injuries on Monday, stoking anger and protests.

According to Islamabad police, the driver and his vehicle have been taken into custody, and legal proceedings are underway.

Dozens of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), the country's mainstream religiopolitical party, staged a protest outside the office of Islamabad police chief, calling the incident a "planned act."

The deceased are said to be JI activists.

A funeral of one of the deceased was held outside the encampment on Monday, while the JI announced further protest in the evening.

Dozens of protesters, led by former Senator and JI leader Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, have set up a camp near the parliament building to protest Israel's offensive on Gaza, which has killed 35,400 people and injured nearly 80,000 more since October 7 last year.