On Saturday, police in various parts of the country apprehended Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers who had staged protests against the arrest of their party chairman, Imran Khan. The arrest of Imran Khan came after he was sentenced to three years in prison and disqualified for five years by a court, which found him guilty of corrupt practices in the Toshakhana case.
In response to the ex-PM’s detention, the PTI called for peaceful nationwide protests. In Karachi, eight PTI workers were detained outside the Karachi Press Club, while six PTI workers from Quaidabad and five from Sharafi Goth were also arrested.
In Peshawar, 16 PTI workers, including a former town nazim, were arrested while demonstrating against the court’s verdict. Section 144, which prohibits public gatherings, was imposed in Peshawar due to its significance as a stronghold of Imran Khan’s party.
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In Abbottabad, PTI workers were arrested for violating Section 144, and in Malakand, party activists were apprehended for protesting in Dargai. PTI has alleged that the police were unlawfully arresting peaceful protesters across the country, emphasizing that peaceful demonstrations are the fundamental right of every citizen.
However, the Interior Minister, Rana Sanaullah, claimed that there were no significant law and order issues in Punjab, where the PTI holds a strong base, and stated that people had disassociated themselves from Imran Khan. He further assured that the government was committed to maintaining law and order.
