On Tuesday, Pakistani police announced that they had conducted a midnight raid and arrested several opposition party members and leaders. Just the day before, the party had held a rally in the capital demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
During the large-scale arrest operation on Monday night and Tuesday morning, several politicians, including opposition Pakistan Justice Movement (PTI) party chairman Gohar Khan, were detained at the parliament building in Islamabad. Gohar Khan was later released by the police.
According to Reuters, a police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of four individuals but did not provide details of the charges. The Pakistan Justice Movement claimed that nearly ten of its members were arrested in Islamabad. The party stated that others sought refuge in the parliament to evade police arrest.
Thirteen opposition party leaders and members were reportedly arrested, as per Nikkei Asia.
The Pakistani government stated that the unprecedented arrest operation was carried out due to the opposition party’s violation of public order laws.
On Sunday, thousands rallied calling for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, these gatherings were deemed illegal under Pakistan’s newly enacted Public Order Law.
Responding to the recent crackdown on peaceful protests in Pakistan, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Director of Amnesty International in South Asia, criticized the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Law of 2024, approved by the President last weekend, as another attack on the right to peaceful assembly in the country.
Pant stated, “Pakistan has long enacted strict laws criminalizing peaceful protests, suppressing expressions of dissent.”
Opposition Justice Movement party members raised objections during a session in the National Assembly on Tuesday, demanding action against law enforcement officers for their unauthorized entry into the parliament building.
Ali Muhammad, an opposition party member, told Reuters, “Plainclothes persons entering the parliament and arresting representatives – this is an attack on Pakistani democracy.”
Pakistan’s Justice Minister Ayaz Sadiq announced that investigations would be conducted into these complaints, and legal action might be taken upon confirmation of the allegations. Sadiq also ordered the return of all arrested members to the parliament.
Imran Khan, the 71-year-old former Prime Minister, who was once a cricket star, has been detained for over a year since being ousted amid disputes with powerful military leaders in 2022, which he has attributed to a conspiracy supported by the military. This has triggered the country’s most severe political turmoil in decades.
In February of this year, another former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, declared victory in the national elections. The Justice Movement party claimed the elections were manipulated to oust Imran Khan – an accusation denied by the Pakistan Election Commission.
According to the Election Commission’s announced tally results, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led by Sharif secured 61 seats, significantly below the 133 seats required to form a government.
Monday night’s crackdown followed a rally held by the Justice Movement party in the outskirts of Islamabad the previous day demanding Khan’s release. Clashes between supporters and police during the gathering resulted in an injured senior officer.
The Justice Movement party alleged that the violence erupted after police fired tear gas at the peaceful assembly in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
Leaders of the Justice Movement party announced at a press conference in the northwestern city of Peshawar that they would launch nationwide protests on Friday, September 13, in response to the latest crackdown. They stated that new elections were the only way to overcome the current situation.