With TV channels going off-air, and no concrete information available, rumours continued to swirl throughout the day. Below is a timeline of how events unfolded.

7:30am — Operation launched by Islamabad administration, police and FC.

8:00am — Panic spreads to nearby localities, including Sohan and Margalla Town, after wind pushed tear gas their way.

10:00am — Officials express confidence that operation would end successfully in three hours, “as claimed by interior minister”.

10:30am — Education institutions start closing, and parents and pick-and-drop services start arriving at schools and colleges.

11:30am — The tide turns against law enforcement, as locals and seminary students from Rawalpindi close in on Faizabad behind police lines.

12:00pm — Protesters attack police from the metro bus track; clashes spread to Stadium Road and media persons injured; DSNJ van damaged in attacks.

12:15pm — Police officer declared dead, around 80 injured in clashes - including 16 police and eight FC personnel - taken to Pims.

12:30pm — Pemra orders for all news channels to be shut down for airing live coverage of operation.

12:45pm — Rumours spread on social media and on the streets about army imposing curfew.

1:00pm — Social media access is restricted in many areas.

2:49pm — ISPR posts tweet stating that chief of army staff called prime minister and asked “both sides” to show restraint.

3:00pm — Stones pelted at vehicles in Rawalpindi, media DSNG set on fire, protests and road closures spread to Park Road, Banigala in Islamabad.

4:30pm — Access restricted to all social media tools; confusion, rumours in various areas lead even traffic police to vacate all positions in Rawalpindi and most of Islamabad.

5:00pm — Islamabad administration calls off operation on the grounds that darkness will help arsonists.

8:30pm — Ministry of Interior calls in military to maintain law and order in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2017