Frantic escape by party leaders during a security crackdown could hurt the PTI. But the government faces questions too.

Islamabad's police chief, Ali Rizvi, denied that live ammunition was used during the operation, which was carried out in conjunction with paramilitary forces.

The party of Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan suspended street protests seeking his release, it said on Wednesday, following media reports of hundreds of arrests by security forces in a sweeping midnight raid in the capital.