Over 1,000 PTI supporters detained in Pakistan ahead of protests demanding Imran Khan’s release
In a move that has sparked concern among human rights activists, more than 1,000 supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were detained in Pakistan as authorities sought to prevent planned protests demanding the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The detentions came as the party prepared to rally against what it calls the "Asim Law," a term recently used by Khan in a message to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The 73-year-old Imran Khan, who founded the PTI, has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing multiple corruption-related cases while remaining a central figure in the opposition movement. The party claims that these detentions are part of a broader crackdown on its workers in Punjab, with several PTI leaders preparing to hold street protests across the province to demand the former prime minister's release.
PTI leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi, the opposition leader in the Punjab assembly, confirmed the arrests, stating, "In a crackdown on PTI workers in Lahore, police arrested more than 1,000 workers." He further alleged that Punjab Police stopped vehicles of PTI supporters accompanying senior party leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi, who had traveled to Lahore to initiate a new street movement against the government.
The "Asim Law" has been a contentious issue, with Khan referring to it as the sole governing principle under which Pakistan is currently being ruled by Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. PTI has attempted to stage nationwide street protests at least twice, with the latest plan announced the day after a court sentenced Khan and his wife to 17 years each in jail in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case.
In a recent post on X, Khan urged Afridi to lead the protests, stating, "My message for Sohail Afridi is to prepare for a street movement. The entire nation must rise for its rights. To strive for justice is a sacred duty, and I am ready to lay down my life for the true freedom of my nation." The detentions and the broader political tensions have raised questions about the state of democratic processes in Pakistan, with PTI workers being prevented from traveling to Lahore from various parts of Punjab, according to Chief Minister Afridi.
The government's response has been one of caution, with Punjab information minister Azma Bukhari welcoming Afridi to Lahore but emphasizing that the government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands. The situation remains tense, with the potential for further protests and a continued focus on the "Asim Law" as a central issue in the country's political landscape.
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