PAKISTAN authorities in an overnight swoop arrested several leaders of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, including its chairman and around a dozen lawmakers, as National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday promised action against those responsible for the crackdown. The Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers had clashed with police, pelting it with stones, and injuring several police officials, including a senior officer during a rally of the party on Sunday. The Government had also accused the party of violating the permission for the rally by over-stepping the allotted time limit by several hours.

 

PTI chairman Gohar Khan and fellow member of Parliament Sher Afzal Khan Marwat were arrested from outside the Parliament building while leading lawyer and party leader Shoaib Shaheen was arrested from his office by Islamabad police on Monday night, according to police spokesperson Jawad Taqi. PTI spokesman Zulfi Bokhari confirmed in a WhatsApp group that thirteen PTI leaders have been arrested since night raids, including Gohar Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Sheikh Waqas, Zain Qureshi, Ahmad Chatha, Molana Naseem, Awais Jhakhar, Amir Dogar, Shah Ahad, Yousaf Khattak, Lateef Chitrali and Zubair Khan. National Assembly Speaker Sadiq took notice of the development and said he “will take action on the incident and address it seriously”. Sadiq, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, further said that if necessary, an FIR would be filed and those involved would be named as he summoned political leaders from all parties for an urgent meeting in his chamber to discuss further steps. The PTI also shared videos on social media about the arrest of some of its leaders. Referring to Marwat’s arrest, the PTI said in a post on X that the “PML-N Government should be completely ashamed of this step against a sitting MNA”. In another post on X, the party condemned the “illegal” arrest of party chairman Gohar Khan.

 

“This is a moment of shame for entire parliament, as this must be considered a direct attack on the remaining democracy in Pakistan…Speaker NA should be ashamed for allowing such disrespect to parliament. Pakistan has descended further into the undeclared Martial Law,” the post said. Omar Ayub Khan, the Leader of the Opposition, condemned the arrests and alleged that Islamabad police had formed teams to arrest him, PTI leader Zartaj Gul Wazir, and “other colleagues”. “This fascist regime and its backers have gone completely mad,” Omar wrote in a statement on X. “Just found out that they have included my name along with Zartaj Gul sahiba and other colleagues in 2 additional FIRs. Islamabad Police teams have been made for our arrests.” Speaking against the arrest in the Parliament, PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan condemned the police raid at Parliament House, calling it an assault on democracy and Pakistan.