Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was not allowed to hold rallies to celebrate the country's Independence Day and over 100 party workers were detained by security agencies across Punjab, party sources claimed on Thursday.
Since May 9, 2023, the Pakistani state has virtually imposed a ban on all political activities of Khan’s party following attacks on military installations allegedly by its workers.
"On Wednesday, Punjab police pounced on the PTI workers for trying to hold rallies in Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan and Faisalabad and arrested over 100 workers," a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab official said on Thursday.
Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day on August 14.
He said the police tortured the PTI workers and even manhandled women participants.
"Our only crime was to celebrate Pakistan Independence Day," he said.
The Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, criticised Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for using police force against the PTI workers and parliamentarians, news agency PTI reported.
“We are celebrating Independence Day, yet we are treated like terrorists," he said and demanded the immediate release of Imran Khan who has been in jail since August last year in connection with different cases.
A Punjab police senior officer said that the PTI workers arrested on Wednesday were released on Thursday. He said the police had orders from the top not to allow Khan’s party to hold Independence Day rallies.
The PTI claims that over 10,000 workers have been in jails, mostly in Punjab, since May last year.
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