Islamabad police arrested several leaders from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan and lawmaker Sher Afzal Marwat, on Monday outside Parliament House for allegedly violating the new public gathering law during Sunday’s rally in the capital.
The law enforcement officials deployed heavy police contingents outside the parliament and closed all entry and exit routes to the Red Zone, excluding Margala Road. Despite these measures, PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan left the parliament without being detained.
According to sources, Marwat was specifically arrested for breaking rules under the newly enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024. This law was cited in his arrest, claiming he clashed with police a day earlier.
Additional arrests were made at the Parliament House, including Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, PTI’s Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Naseem-ur-Rehman, and Zubair Khan.
In response to the ongoing situation, Islamabad police have started a broader crackdown targeting PTI leaders from Punjab who participated in the recent power show. This action was confirmed when the police informed Punjab’s top officials.
During this sweep, Shoaib Shaheen was also arrested from his residence. Cases were filed against several PTI leaders under the new bill at Noon Village and Sangjani police stations, with 28 local leaders, including Seemabia Tahir and Raja Basharat, named in the FIRs. The FIRs accuse PTI workers of attacking police with batons and stones when prevented from using a designated route, resulting in 17 arrests.
The PTI had organized a significant rally in Islamabad, leading to clashes with police at Chungi No 26. The conflict arose when PTI supporters insisted on using a route designated for the general public.
Amid the crackdown, the Advisor to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, expressed concerns over the arrest tactics and stated that such actions undermine democracy. He highlighted that the current government had seized power through “illegal means” and criticized the arrests of senior parliamentarians.
