Pakistan Police Arrest Over 300 PTI Activists Lahore Protests

Police in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, arrested between 120 to 300 activists from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party ahead of planned protests marking the second anniversary of leader Imran Khan's jailing. Despite the detentions, PTI vowed to proceed with its demonstrations, calling for peaceful protests to restore what they describe as true democracy. The Punjab government accused Khan's party of creating chaos and labeled it a terrorist organization in disguise, justifying the crackdown. Imran Khan, a former cricket star and Pakistan's prime minister from 2018 until his ousting in 2022, denies all charges against him, calling them politically motivated, and many of his party members have faced arrests and legal actions since his May 2023 detention. Khan's arrest had previously sparked nationwide protests against the military, leading to intensified government security measures and police presence in major cities. The situation underscores ongoing political tensions in Pakistan between the military-backed government and Khan's opposition party.