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

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. 

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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."

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."

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"Speaker NA should be ashamed for allowing such disrespect of parliament. Pakistan has descended further into the undeclared Martial Law," it added.

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!"

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."

The Islamabad High Court Bar Association also denounced the arrests of Barrister Gohar and other PTI-affiliated lawyers and called for their immediate release.

(With inputs from agencies)