LAHORE/ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Police in Pakistan have arrested dozens of supporters and aides of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in raids in two cities as part of a crackdown on those involved in recent clashes with the security forces, Khan’s party and police said on Monday (Mar 20).
Supporters of Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), clashed with police in the city of Lahore last week as they attempted to arrest him at his home, and later with police in Islamabad as he arrived to appear before a court on Saturday.
“Around 285 PTI supporters have been arrested in Lahore and Islamabad. Houses of all major leaders were raided by police last night,” Khan’s aide, Fawad Chaudhry, told Reuters.
Khan, a former cricket star, was prime minister from 2018 until 2022, when he was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote. Since then he has been demanding a snap election and holding protest rallies across the country to press his case.
His successor as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has rejected his demand and said an election would be held as scheduled later this year.