Six people were killed as protests supporting imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan escalated in Islamabad on Tuesday, authorities say.

The demonstrations were sparked by demands for Khan’s release from jail and the resignation of the federal government over what they call rigged general elections this year.

As Imran Khan's supporters made their way to Islamabad, leaders of his PTI party visited him in Adiala Jail, in the city of Rawalpindi. PTI's caretaker chairman, Gohar Ali Khan, and lawmaker Ali Muhammad Khan were among the delegation that met the incarcerated leader on Monday.