Top PTI Leaders Booked Under Terrorism Charges in Lahore Rally Clash

Over 350 leaders and workers of Imran Khan’s party, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, face terrorism charges for their involvement in a violent rally in Lahore. Punjab Police have launched raids to arrest the accused, and the incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political tensions.

More than 350 leaders and workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, have been booked under terrorism and other charges by Punjab Police in Pakistan. The charges stem from an alleged attack on police officers during a rally in Lahore last Saturday. Police have begun raiding the homes of those involved to make arrests.

Among the accusations, Gandapur is charged with vandalizing a plaza, breaking windows, and smashing CCTV cameras. Other senior leaders face allegations of aiding the escape of absconding leader Hammad Azhar during the rally.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz accused Gandapur of using rallies as a pretext to attack Punjab, urging him to focus on his province's welfare instead of engaging in destructive politics. Despite a police crackdown, PTI supporters successfully held the rally in Lahore, marking the first such event allowed since the May 9, 2023, incidents when party supporters allegedly attacked military installations following Khan's arrest. The PTI has been rallying for Khan's release since his imprisonment in August 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)