MORE THAN 100 supporters of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan were arrested as protests were held across the country on Wednesday (5) to mark three years since his imprisonment.
Police took action against demonstrators in Punjab and Sindh provinces, while the main rally was held in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is in power.
In Punjab, police baton-charged protesters and arrested several PTI workers in Lahore, Mianwali and Rawalpindi.
In Lahore’s Mall Road area, police dispersed demonstrators demanding Khan’s release and detained several people. Videos shared on social media showed riot police using force against protesters. Some journalists covering the rally were also allegedly assaulted by police, leading to criticism from media organisations.
PTI Punjab general secretary Chaudhry Bilal Ejaz said five party lawmakers were among 25 people arrested in Lahore.
“Despite this era of oppression, repression, and fascism, a large number of PTI workers and office-bearers in Punjab staged protest rallies and pledged to stand with Imran Khan,” he said.
PTI said at least 50 of its workers were arrested in Mianwali, Rawalpindi and other parts of Punjab.
In Karachi, police used tear gas to disperse PTI supporters protesting in Saddar Town and arrested more than 10 demonstrators. The party also claimed that six workers were arrested in Pano Aqil and 15 in Kandhkot.
'Campaign for Khan's release started'
Aleema Khan, the former prime minister’s sister, said the campaign for her brother’s release had begun and that the next phase would be announced soon.
PTI leader and former federal minister Moonis Elahi alleged that Khan had been denied meetings and proper medical treatment in prison and that his eyesight had deteriorated.
Another PTI leader, Sheryar Afridi, said: “They (the establishment) may have taken away his freedom, but they could never break his resolve. They may have denied him comfort, but they could never diminish his courage. The nation stands with Kaptaan Imran Khan.”
Khan was arrested on August 5, 2023, and has remained in prison while facing several cases. His party has repeatedly alleged that the cases against him are politically motivated, a claim denied by the government led by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International urged Pakistani authorities to protect the rights of the 73-year-old politician.
“For three years, Pakistan’s authorities have systematically denied Imran Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement, and limited his access to medical care and visitation rights,” said Isabelle Lassee, acting regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International.
She said Khan had not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months and that both he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, had been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025.
(PTI)
