ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police have detained several leaders and lawmakers of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from parliament’s compound, days after the party held a rally and served a two-week ultimatum for the release of the jailed former PM. The detentions followed alleged violation of norms during the rally.
In a separate development, Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from Imran’s PTI, went missing from Islamabad for eight hours Monday and emerged in his provincial capital Peshawar Tuesday.
Sources revealed Gandapur was in the custody of an intelligence agency and added that the CM of the northwestern province was quizzed for hours before his release early Tuesday.
Gandapur came under fire for a tirade against the military during PTI’s protest-cum-power show Sunday in Islamabad’s suburbs. “Fix your institution, fix your generals, fix yourself. If the founder of PTI (Imran) is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” the CM vowed.
While several PTI lawmakers apologised for Gandapur’s remarks, Imran defended him, saying he had merely expressed the nation’s sentiments. “Party members who have apologised for Gandapur’s remarks are weak and cowards. They should not remain in PTI,” Imran was quoted as saying at his prison in Rawalpindi.
Last week, the federal govt passed a law to “regulate” public gatherings in Islamabad. It set three-year jail terms for participants of “illegal” assemblies, with 10 years for repeat offenders. The Islamabad administration had allowed PTI’s Sunday’s rally from 4pm till 7pm, but the gathering went on until 11pm. “They were arrested due to violation of the new law,” Islamabad police spokesperson Taqi Jawad said, referring to PTI arrests, including that of chairman Gohar Khan.
Since his removal from power in April 2022, Imran and his PTI have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military.
The PTI says it has faced a months-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged govt and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI arrests followed. Many remain behind bars. The military, which says Imran and his party were behind the attacks, has initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
In Feb this year, Imran and PTI were barred from the national election, which was alleged to have been rigged. Candidates aligned with the party, forced to contest independently, still won most seats in parliament but not enough to form the govt. PTI alleged that its mandate was “stolen” by PM Shebaz Sharif’s governing coalition with the all-powerful military’s backing. Both deny the claim.
In a separate development, Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from Imran’s PTI, went missing from Islamabad for eight hours Monday and emerged in his provincial capital Peshawar Tuesday.
Sources revealed Gandapur was in the custody of an intelligence agency and added that the CM of the northwestern province was quizzed for hours before his release early Tuesday.
Gandapur came under fire for a tirade against the military during PTI’s protest-cum-power show Sunday in Islamabad’s suburbs. “Fix your institution, fix your generals, fix yourself. If the founder of PTI (Imran) is not legally released within one to two weeks, we will have him freed ourselves,” the CM vowed.
While several PTI lawmakers apologised for Gandapur’s remarks, Imran defended him, saying he had merely expressed the nation’s sentiments. “Party members who have apologised for Gandapur’s remarks are weak and cowards. They should not remain in PTI,” Imran was quoted as saying at his prison in Rawalpindi.
Last week, the federal govt passed a law to “regulate” public gatherings in Islamabad. It set three-year jail terms for participants of “illegal” assemblies, with 10 years for repeat offenders. The Islamabad administration had allowed PTI’s Sunday’s rally from 4pm till 7pm, but the gathering went on until 11pm. “They were arrested due to violation of the new law,” Islamabad police spokesperson Taqi Jawad said, referring to PTI arrests, including that of chairman Gohar Khan.
Since his removal from power in April 2022, Imran and his PTI have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military.
The PTI says it has faced a months-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged govt and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI arrests followed. Many remain behind bars. The military, which says Imran and his party were behind the attacks, has initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
In Feb this year, Imran and PTI were barred from the national election, which was alleged to have been rigged. Candidates aligned with the party, forced to contest independently, still won most seats in parliament but not enough to form the govt. PTI alleged that its mandate was “stolen” by PM Shebaz Sharif’s governing coalition with the all-powerful military’s backing. Both deny the claim.
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