A midnight crackdown by the security personnel forced the supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to evacuate the D-Chowk and its adjacent main business district of the capital ending their protest.

Police sources said about 450 protestors were arrested in the crackdown and more arrests are expected while Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said it was a violent assault on protesters by security forces firing live rounds with the intent to kill as many people as possible. Earlier on Tuesday evening, PTI supporters battled law enforcing agencies and succeeded in reaching the D-Chowk for a sit-in till their leader told otherwise. The supporters’ clash with police killed six security personnel and injured dozens.