At the least 200 arrested from Lahore, says celebration spokesperson, as hundreds march throughout the nation on second anniversary of ex-PM’s imprisonment.
1000’s of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan are rallying throughout the nation to demand his launch on the second anniversary of his imprisonment.
Safety officers on Tuesday stated dozens of activists belonging to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) celebration have been arrested, with most detentions made on Monday evening and early on Tuesday within the japanese metropolis of Lahore, the place the PTI has known as an enormous demonstration later within the day.
At the least 200 activists had been arrested from Lahore, stated PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari, including that the protests would nonetheless happen. Lahore is the capital of Punjab, the nation’s most politically vital area and residential to half of its inhabitants.
Khan, a preferred cricket star, was elected prime minister in 2018. However as soon as in workplace, he fell out with Pakistan’s highly effective navy and was toppled in 2022 by way of a vote in parliament. His arrest in Might 2023 on a number of costs spurred widespread protests in opposition to the navy, resulting in a crackdown on the celebration.
In a message attributed to Khan on his celebration’s X account on Monday, he urged supporters to “come out and maintain peaceable protests till a real democracy is restored within the nation”.
Khan’s celebration posted a video on its X account on Tuesday, displaying a former PTI candidate, Rehana Dar, being carried right into a police van by personnel with riot gear.
“An elder like Rehana Dar is being dragged by the shameless Punjab Police, a disgraceful sight,” the PTI stated.
An elder like Rehana Dar is being dragged by the shameless Punjab Police, a disgraceful sight. Maryam Nawaz and IG Punjab have sunk to a brand new low with this act. Below this martial legislation of Asim Munir, they’ve deserted all sense of disgrace and decency! pic.twitter.com/gK0HsJoDOE
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 5, 2025
Social media movies additionally confirmed a minimum of two different individuals being detained in Lahore.
The PTI’s Multan chapter alleged that its Lahore rally was “attacked by police”, Pakistani newspaper Daybreak reported on Tuesday.
“Rallies are being held as we speak on the orders of the PTI founder,” PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan stated in a press release, including they’d proceed till Khan’s launch.
The rallies had been held regardless of the federal government’s order barring “unlawful” gatherings and huge assemblies, Pakistan’s Geo TV reported.
پشاور سے سیکڑوں گاڑیوں پر مشتمل قافلہ صوابی کی جانب روانہ ہو گیا ہے pic.twitter.com/3Yr5LiHHWB
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 5, 2025
Translation: A convoy of a whole lot of automobiles from Peshawar has set off in the direction of Swabi.
In a press release on Monday, police stated safety was beefed up in main cities nationwide.
At a information convention on Monday, Khan’s celebration was accused of all the time creating “chaos” by Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson of the provincial authorities.
“No political celebration could be barred from politics in Pakistan, however a terrorist organisation disguised as a political celebration is just not allowed to disrupt Pakistan’s peace,” Bukhari stated.
PTI chief and former Nationwide Meeting speaker Asad Qaiser stated the celebration has pledged to show peacefully and was not searching for confrontation, Geo TV reported.
Khan says the fees in opposition to him – starting from terrorism to disclosure of official secrets and techniques – are politically motivated. He was convicted in January in a corruption case, whereas being acquitted of different costs or receiving suspended sentences.
Earlier than the protest name, a whole lot of Khan’s celebration members, together with a number of parliamentarians, had been convicted late final month on costs associated to the 2023 protests in opposition to his arrest.
Khan’s celebration emerged as the only largest within the 2024 election, and it says rigging robbed it of extra seats. Different events merged to kind a authorities below Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has denied coming to energy by way of electoral fraud.
