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 from Imran’s PTI, went missing from Islamabad for eight hours and emerged in his provincial capital Peshawar later. Sources said Gandapur was in the custody of an intelligence agency and added that he was quizzed for hours.
Gandapur came under fire for a tirade against the military during PTI’s protest-cum power show 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,” he 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 rally from 4 pm to 7 pm, but the gathering went on till 11 pm. “They were arrested due to violation of the new law,” Islamabad police spokesman Taqi Jawad said, referring to PTI arrests, including that of chairman Gohar Khan.
Since his removal from office 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 govt and military installations on May 9, 2023.
