<p>Pakistani police on Monday (Sept 9) arrested several top leaders of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following clashes between protesters and law enforcement near a rally demanding Khan's release.</p>

<p>Among those detained were Barrister Gohar Khan, the PTI chairperson, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, and Advocate Shoaib Shaheen. Video footage circulated online showed police taking the PTI president from his vehicle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PTI stated that other senior members were also arrested, but did not specify the total number.</p>

<h2><strong>The protest</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The arrests came after a Sunday protest where tens of thousands of PTI supporters gathered peacefully in Islamabad, demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned for nearly a year following a graft case conviction.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Violence erupted a mile from the protest site, leaving several police officers injured.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-army-hints-at-military-trial-for-jailed-former-pm-imran-khan-756404">Pakistan Army hints at military trial for jailed former PM Imran Khan</a></strong></p>

<p>PTI leaders, at the rally reportedly threatened to forcefully free Khan if he was not released within two weeks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Authorities announced that charges would be brought against Ali Amin Gandapur for inciting violence. However, as per an AP report, his whereabouts remain unclear. His spokesperson told local media that they had lost contact with Gandapur, the top elected official in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.</p>

<h2><strong>PTI denounces arrests</strong></h2>

<p>PTI condemned the arrests and said they were an attack on democracy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Referring to the Marwat's arrest, it said on X: "PMLN government should be completely ashamed of this step against a sitting MNA."</p>

<p>"This must be considered a direct attack on democracy."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Speaker NA, tout PMLN government should be completely ashamed of this step against sitting MNA. This must be considered a direct attack on democracy.<br />
<br />
The Islamabad Police has not only carried out illegal orders, but also insulted whole Parliament.<br />
<br />
IG Islamabad MUST stop this… <a href="https://t.co/iMQEIY454e">https://t.co/iMQEIY454e</a></p>
— PTI (@PTIofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1833167750593982729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>In another post, the PTI condemned the "illegal" arrest of party chairperson Gohar and said that it was "a moment of shame for entire parliament, as this must be considered a direct attack on the remaining democracy in Pakistan."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistani-army-officially-accepts-role-in-1999-kargil-war-756652">Pakistani Army officially accepts role in 1999 Kargil War</a></strong></p>

<p>"Speaker NA should be ashamed for allowing such disrespect of parliament. Pakistan has descended further into the undeclared Martial Law," it added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar has been illegally arrested from Parliament premises by Islamabad Police.<br />
<br />
This is a moment of shame for entire Parliament, as this MUST be considered a direct attack on the remaining democracy in Pakistan.<br />
<br />
Speaker NA should be ashamed for allowing… <a href="https://t.co/EMKO85758K">pic.twitter.com/EMKO85758K</a></p>
— PTI (@PTIofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1833187527173276030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>A statement on Marwat's account said that the arrests "once again proved how afraid it (the State) is of (Imran) Khan and his soldiers!"</p>

<p>"Remember that the person they are dragging this badly is not a terrorist or murderer. His only sin is that he considers Imran Khan his mentor, raises his voice for the poor, raises his voice for Pakistan, talks about the supremacy of democracy, the freedom of Pakistanis, and rule of law!"</p>

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<p dir="rtl" lang="ur">ریاست نے ایک بار پھر ثابت کر دیا کہ وہ خان اور خان کے سپاہیوں سے کتنی خوفزدہ ہے!<br />
🚨🚨* نہتےشیر افضل مروت گرفتاری کے مناظر۔۔!!*🚨🚨<br />
یاد رہے کہ جس انسان کو یہ اس بری طرح سے گھسیٹ رہے ہیں یہ کوئی ٹیرورسٹ یا قاتل نہیں ہے! اس کا صرف اور صرف یہ گناہ ہے کہ یہ عمران خان کو اپنا مرشد… <a href="https://t.co/abnhNlsvJU">pic.twitter.com/abnhNlsvJU</a></p>
— Sher Afzal Khan Marwat (@sherafzalmarwat) <a href="https://twitter.com/sherafzalmarwat/status/1833170902147596551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan, alleged that he and other PTI members were also targeted for arrest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This fascist regime and its backers have gone completely mad," he wrote in a statement on X, adding "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."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This Fascist Regime and it's backers have gone completely mad. Condemn the arrest of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan sahib, Shoaib Shaheen and Sher Afzal Marwat.<br />
Just found out that they have included my name along with Zartaj Gul sahiba and other colleagues in 2 additional FIRs.…</p>
— Omar Ayub Khan (@OmarAyubKhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/OmarAyubKhan/status/1833204466046361758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Islamabad High Court Bar Association also denounced the arrests of Barrister Gohar and other PTI-affiliated lawyers and called for their immediate release.</p>

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<p dir="rtl" lang="ur">اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ بار کی جانب سے شیر افضل خان مروت اور ایڈووکیٹ شعیب شاہین کی گرفتاری کی بھرپور مذمت۔ <a href="https://t.co/nfestruaJo">pic.twitter.com/nfestruaJo</a></p>
— Ali Ijaz Buttar (@aliijazbuttar) <a href="https://twitter.com/aliijazbuttar/status/1833186775839187088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pakistani police on Monday (Sept 9) arrested several top leaders of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following clashes between protesters and law enforcement near a rally demanding Khan's release.

Pakistani police on Monday (Sept 9) arrested several top leaders of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party following clashes between protesters and law enforcement near a rally demanding Khan's release. Among those detained were Barrister Gohar Khan, the PTI chairperson, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, and Advocate Shoaib Shaheen. Video footage circulated online showed police taking the PTI president from his vehicle. PTI stated that other senior members were also arrested, but did not specify the total number. The protest The arrests came after a Sunday protest where tens of thousands of PTI supporters gathered peacefully in Islamabad, demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned for nearly a year following a graft case conviction. Violence erupted a mile from the protest site, leaving several police officers injured. Also read | Pakistan Army hints at military trial for jailed former PM Imran Khan PTI leaders, at the rally reportedly threatened to forcefully free Khan if he was not released within two weeks. Authorities announced that charges would be brought against Ali Amin Gandapur for inciting violence. However, as per an AP report, his whereabouts remain unclear. His spokesperson told local media that they had lost contact with Gandapur, the top elected official in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. PTI denounces arrests PTI condemned the arrests and said they were an attack on democracy. Referring to the Marwat's arrest, it said on X: "PMLN government should be completely ashamed of this step against a sitting MNA." "This must be considered a direct attack on democracy." Speaker NA, tout PMLN government should be completely ashamed of this step against sitting MNA. This must be considered a direct attack on democracy. The Islamabad Police has not only carried out illegal orders, but also insulted whole Parliament. IG Islamabad MUST stop this… https://t.co/iMQEIY454e — PTI (@PTIofficial) September 9, 2024 × In another post, the PTI condemned the "illegal" arrest of party chairperson Gohar and said that it was "a moment of shame for entire parliament, as this must be considered a direct attack on the remaining democracy in Pakistan." Also read | Pakistani Army officially accepts role in 1999 Kargil War "Speaker NA should be ashamed for allowing such disrespect of parliament. Pakistan has descended further into the undeclared Martial Law," it added. Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar has been illegally arrested from Parliament premises by Islamabad Police. 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… pic.twitter.com/EMKO85758K — PTI (@PTIofficial) September 9, 2024 × A statement on Marwat's account said that the arrests "once again proved how afraid it (the State) is of (Imran) Khan and his soldiers!" "Remember that the person they are dragging this badly is not a terrorist or murderer. His only sin is that he considers Imran Khan his mentor, raises his voice for the poor, raises his voice for Pakistan, talks about the supremacy of democracy, the freedom of Pakistanis, and rule of law!" ریاست نے ایک بار پھر ثابت کر دیا کہ وہ خان اور خان کے سپاہیوں سے کتنی خوفزدہ ہے! 🚨🚨* نہتےشیر افضل مروت گرفتاری کے مناظر۔۔!!*🚨🚨 یاد رہے کہ جس انسان کو یہ اس بری طرح سے گھسیٹ رہے ہیں یہ کوئی ٹیرورسٹ یا قاتل نہیں ہے! اس کا صرف اور صرف یہ گناہ ہے کہ یہ عمران خان کو اپنا مرشد… pic.twitter.com/abnhNlsvJU — Sher Afzal Khan Marwat (@sherafzalmarwat) September 9, 2024 × Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan, alleged that he and other PTI members were also targeted for arrest. "This fascist regime and its backers have gone completely mad," he wrote in a statement on X, adding "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." This Fascist Regime and it's backers have gone completely mad. Condemn the arrest of Barrister Gohar Ali Khan sahib, Shoaib Shaheen and Sher Afzal Marwat. Just found out that they have included my name along with Zartaj Gul sahiba and other colleagues in 2 additional FIRs.… — Omar Ayub Khan (@OmarAyubKhan) September 9, 2024 × The Islamabad High Court Bar Association also denounced the arrests of Barrister Gohar and other PTI-affiliated lawyers and called for their immediate release. اسلام آباد ہائیکورٹ بار کی جانب سے شیر افضل خان مروت اور ایڈووکیٹ شعیب شاہین کی گرفتاری کی بھرپور مذمت۔ pic.twitter.com/nfestruaJo — Ali Ijaz Buttar (@aliijazbuttar) September 9, 2024 × (With inputs from agencies)

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The Islamabad police have arrested several top leaders of Imran Khan's political party the Pakistan, following a National Assembly session on Monday. Watch to know more.

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'Direct attack' on democracy: Pakistan police arrests top PTI leaders, Imran Khan supporters in Islamabad

Pakistan: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party leaders arrested