Pakistan police arrest more than 150 protesters demanding ex-PM Khan's release
Nearly 120 arrests were made during raids overnight and early Tuesday, with the remainder occurring during protests in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, they said.
"Free Imran Khan!" chanted around 200 supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party outside a Lahore courthouse, while smaller groups staged protests across the city.
Deputy Inspector General of police Faisal Kamran told Reuters nearly three dozen activists attempting to block roads were among those arrested.
Party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari claimed over 200 activists were detained in Lahore alone. "Down with the government!" shouted a group of PTI women supporters rallying in Quetta, while hundreds of activists in Karachi held demonstrations on bikes, rickshaws, and other vehicles, carrying Khan's posters and party flags.
Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi remained quiet, with heavy police deployments on main roads. Videos shared by PTI's media wing showed demonstrations in various locations, though Reuters could not independently verify their authenticity. Uzma Bukhari, a spokesperson for Punjab's provincial government, labelled PTI a terrorist organisation, which the party's spokesperson denied.
Khan calls on supporters
In a message attributed to Khan on his party's X account on Monday, he urged supporters to "come out and hold peaceful protests until a true democracy is restored". The former cricket star was elected prime minister in 2018 but once in office, he fell out with the powerful military and was ousted in 2022 by parliament. His arrest in May 2023 sparked protests against the military nationwide, leading to a crackdown on the party.
Khan denies any wrongdoing and has dismissed as politically motivated the dozens of cases against him, ranging from terrorism to disclosure of official secrets. He was convicted in January in a corruption case, but was acquitted of other charges or received suspended sentences. Hundreds of Khan's party members including several parliamentarians were convicted late last month on charges related to the 2023 protests against his arrest. By law, nine of the parliamentarians were disqualified on Tuesday, the Election Commission of Pakistan said.
Khan's party emerged as the single biggest in the 2024 election, and it says that vote rigging robbed it of more seats.
Other parties joined forces to form a government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who denies coming to power through electoral fraud.
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