Pakistan: Police arrest 43 workers of Imran Khan’s party in Charsadda

As many as 43 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers have been arrested by police for holding a rally without permission in Pakistan’s Charsadda, Pakistan-based ARY News reported.
According to details, PTI workers were arrested for organising a rally without taking permission from the administration. DSP Sanobar Shah said that cases were lodged against the PTI worker for interfering in state affairs, according to ARY News report. Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police arrested PTI workers for making an offensive statement against a state institution. According to details, PTI workers who were involved in attacks on military installations and public buildings on May 9 are being arrested, ARY News reported. Notably, protests erupted in Pakistan after Imran Khan was arrested in the Al Qadir case on 9 May. Meanwhile, the Punjab police have again relaunched a massive crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers. The police said that the raids were being conducted for the suspects wanted for alleged involvement in 9 May violence in Pakistan, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The police said that they have been carrying out these raids to arrest the suspects wanted in the criminal cases registered against them for allegedly targeting military installations and buildings in 9 May protests, as per the Dawn report. Some of the sources alleged that the Punjab police high-ups have asked for these arrests of the PTI workers after PTI’s senior vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on the party workers to celebrate Independence Day by organizing rallies, according to Dawn.
They further said that the government authorities feared that the PTI workers might raise party flags instead of national flags on the rooftops on Independence Day and that might cause disgrace to the nation, as per the Dawn report. The Punjab police high command has directed to stop PTI workers from taking out rallies or demonstrations across Punjab before or on 14 August.

PAKISTAN : TIMELINE OF 9 MAY VIOLENCE

• April 10, 2022: Khan ousted via no-confidence vote.
• May 25-26, 2022: Khan’s “long march” to Islamabad, canceled for peace.
• July 18, 2022: PTI wins Punjab by-election.
• Aug 22, 2022: Khan charged, charges later dropped.
• Oct 21, 2022: Khan barred from public office.
• Oct 28, 2022: Second “long march” for early elections.
• Nov 3, 2022: Khan shot in leg during protest.
• Mar 5, 2023: Arrest attempt evaded in Lahore.
• May 9, 2023: Khan arrested, party alleges abduction.