Imran Khan's party organises nationwide protests for his release; over 500 supporters arrested

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party Tuesday organised protest rallies in different parts of the country, demanding the release of former prime minister Imran Khan, who was arrested two years ago on corruption charges.

The party claimed that its more than 500 workers and supporters who took to the streets were arrested by police, mostly in Punjab province.

Khan, 72, was arrested on August 5, 2023, from his residence in Lahore after being convicted by a court in a corruption case. He has been incarcerated since his arrest due to conviction in other cases, and is being held at the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

The call for the protest was given by Khan. His party claimed that supporters of the jailed leader responded by coming out in big numbers.

''Today, August 5, marks the second anniversary of the incarceration of former prime minister Imran Khan with all basic human rights revoked, no or very limited access to his legal team or family, no access to his political leadership other than a couple of people now and then,'' senior party leader Zulfi Bokhari said in a statement.

Bokhari, who is the spokesperson of Khan for international relations as well as international media, said the government has imposed a ban on gatherings, blocking main highways, wrecking cars with party flags and raiding the residences of active party leaders and workers.

''Over 500 PTI leaders and workers have been arrested so far in Punjab alone, mostly from Lahore, including several lawmakers,'' he said.

''Democracy is non-existent, nor is there the rule of law and human rights. However, this kind of tyrannical treatment of our very own Pakistanis is shameful, even for this hybrid regime," Bokhari said.

''The protesters will continue to demonstrate peacefully till the end of the day. However, the government seems weak in the knees, despite being in power," he said.

According to Khan's party, most arrests were made in Lahore as Khan's supporters came out on the roads in large numbers to protest against the "fascist regime".

Police in Punjab province, which is ruled by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, arrested PTI supporters for allegedly violating Section 144, which bans the assembly of four or more people.

A Punjab Police spokesperson said that no one is allowed to violate Section 144, as arrests have been made in this regard in the province.

Since there has been an apparent ban on the broadcast media coverage of PTI rallies, a number of videos from the rallies showing police cracking down on the party workers have gone viral on social media.

The police action was condemned on social media for dragging even elderly supporters of the PTI during the protest rallies.

However, a PTI lawyers' rally put up a good show on Lahore's Mall Road as police personnel appeared cautious in taking action against the participants.

Protests were held in Okara, Sheikhupura, Jhang, and several other places.

Clashes were reported between police and Khan's supporters at some places. In one incident, the windscreen of Aliya Hamza, PTI chief organiser in Punjab, was broken. In a social media post, she claimed that police attacked her car with clubs and she was also injured.

Another PTI leader, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, said that "breathing has been made a crime as the 'fake' Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, now considers herself a dictator".

Sharing a video of a police raid on her residence on social media, she said that the Punjab Police once again raided her home.

''In a democracy, it is usually the case that if any group protests and damages government property, then institutions spring into action. But here the situation is reversed - the protest has not even begun, yet the state commits a far greater crime by trampling the sanctity of our homes,'' she said.

''As a state, we need to wake up. Such fascist actions are eroding human rights, democracy, and civil liberties,'' she said.

Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said party supporters will also reach outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi to protest against Khan's illegal confinement.

''Imran Khan has given a message that he is ready to stay in jail for 10 years for the people of Pakistan and the rule of law, but not succumb to any kind of pressure from the regime,'' said Qaiser, who is also the Secretary General of Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), an alliance of six opposition parties.

The party also organised protest rallies across various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. PTI Central Chairman Barrister Gohar addressed participants in Buner district and said, ''We demand the immediate release of PTI's founding chairman." Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur led the rally in Peshawar, which culminated at Balahisar Fort on GT Road after parading Hayatabad Township and Ring Road.

Another PTI leader, Ali Muhammad Khan, wrote on social media that the country's problems cannot be solved by jailing political opponents, but through political dialogue and demanded the immediate release of Khan and other "innocent political prisoners".

Earlier, the government in Punjab took strong security measures to foil the protest. It imposed Section 144 in Lahore and Rawalpindi to outlaw any political activity. In Rawalpindi, over 4,000 policemen were deployed across the city to ensure security.

Arrangements were also made around Adiala Jail, including the deployment of Riot Management Force units. To prevent any law and order situation near Adiala Jail, a red alert was issued and Adiala Road was sealed for ordinary traffic.

The provincial government also announced the use of the paramilitary Punjab Rangers for security around Adiala jail and other areas of Rawalpindi.

There were also reports of protests in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, but so far the party mostly shared details of its protest in Punjab.

Khan's party shared videos and clips of different activities on social media. However, it was not clear if they were from today or some previous protest.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)