Political Turmoil in Pakistan: Lawmakers Arrested Amid Protests

Pakistani police detained several members of Imran Khan's party following a significant rally demanding his release. The former Prime Minister, ousted in 2022, has been in jail for over a year. The PTI party claims illegal arrests of nearly a dozen parliamentarians, while tensions rise between the government, military, and opposition.

Pakistani police have detained several lawmakers and leaders from former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party following a large-scale rally in the capital. The demonstration, which called for Khan's release, has led to heightened political tensions in the country.

A police spokesman confirmed the arrest of four individuals without detailing the charges. Meanwhile, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party reported nearly a dozen parliamentarians detained in Islamabad, while others sought refuge in parliament. The PTI accuses law enforcement of illegally entering parliamentary premises, leading to protests in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has vowed to investigate the claims, promising legal action if verified. Footage showed police forcefully detaining lawmakers outside parliament. PTI leaders, including Omar Ayub Khan, decried these actions as a crackdown on democracy, following a PTI rally that ended in violence after police intervened.

(With inputs from agencies.)