Crackdown on Imran Khan's Party Leaders After Major Rally

Pakistani police detained multiple lawmakers and leaders of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party following a significant rally demanding his release. Khan, jailed for over a year after clashing with military generals, has seen his party face increasing pressure and arrests, leading to public and political outcry.

Pakistani police detained several lawmakers and leaders of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party in raids a day after a major rally in the capital demanded his release, according to party officials and police on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old ex-cricket star has been imprisoned for over a year following his ouster in 2022 due to a dispute with Pakistan's military generals, who largely determine the nation's leadership. A police spokesman confirmed the detention of four individuals, though the party claimed 13 were taken from different locations in Islamabad, including outside parliament.

Media footage showed police forcing lawmakers into vehicles during the detentions, described as 'despicable' by Omar Ayub Khan, the party's opposition leader. Zulfikar Bukhari, Khan's aide, described the arrests as illegal on X, saying Monday's protest had terrified the government.

Those detained included party chairman Gohar Khan and senior figures Shoaib Shaheen and Sher Afzal Marwat. Despite winning the most seats in February's general elections, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party failed to secure a majority, leading rivals to form a coalition government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A day earlier, clashes erupted between police and PTI supporters during a rally demanding Khan's release, injuring a senior police official. PTI blamed police aggression for the violence.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province criticized both the ruling alliance and the military during the rally, advising the military to 'put their house in order' and warning against any potential military trial for Khan. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused Gandapur of inciting violence and threatening to free Khan by force. Police confirmed four detentions but provided no detailed statement on charges or arrests.

(With inputs from agencies.)