Lahore: Police have arrested supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in various cities for carrying his party’s flag, which is now a crime in Pakistan, during protests to express solidarity with Palestinians.
The police arrested at least 50 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday who gathered in Lahore, Islamabad, Vehari, Multan and Gujranwala cities to express solidarity with Palestinians, the party said.
Although different religious parties held pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country only those carrying PTI flags were rounded up.
The PTI has strongly condemned the use of state machinery and unlawful detention of peaceful protesters in various parts of the country, who were expressing solidarity and support for the war-ravaged and besieged Palestinians.
A PTI spokesperson termed the use of state machinery against the peaceful protestors as shameful, expressing his surprise that the citizens are being arrested for their sole crime of expressing solidarity and support for the oppressed Palestinians and carrying the PTI flags.
He said it is the continuation of the state coercive policy based on political revenge since Khan was ousted from power in April last year.
“Denying the right of peaceful protests to the most popular party is shameful, reprehensible,” he said, lashing out at the authorities for their doubled standards.
Since the attack on military installations in different parts of the country by the PTI workers in early May in reaction to the arrest of Khan in a corruption case, the party has not been allowed by the military establishment to take part in any political activity.
Over 10,000 PTI workers are reportedly in jail including Imran Khan.
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