Police begins arresting PTI leaders nationwide, as caravans head to Islamabad
PTI member, Rai Hassan Nawaz, was arrested in Chichawatni along with several party workers.
ISLAMABAD – The police have started arresting prominent leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party across the country in an effort to prevent them from participating in a planned protest rally in Islamabad. The arrests come as convoys of PTI supporters begin making their way towards the capital, despite heightened security and roadblocks.
In Multan, three PTI leaders were detained by the police. Among those arrested were Zain Qureshi, a member of the National Assembly, Aamir Dogar, a member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, and Moinuddin Riaz Qureshi. These leaders were en route to Islamabad to join the protest when they were placed under house arrest for their potential to disrupt public peace, according to local police officials.
Another PTI member, Rai Hassan Nawaz, was arrested in Chichawatni along with several party workers. They were also on their way to Islamabad to participate in the protest. Police stated that Nawaz was detained for attempting to join the rally in defiance of orders. In Sahiwal, a similar arrest took place with the detention of Rana Amir Shahzad, a PTI MNA, at his farmhouse.
As per the media reports, other notable PTI figures also found themselves in police custody, including MPA Asad Zaman Cheema, activist Mian Muhammad Faheem, district PTI President Mian Abdul Basit, and Insaf Youth Wing General Secretary Sheikh Hasan Raza.
Read More: Imran Khan Reiterates Strong Saudi Relations
Despite the arrests, PTI’s supporters remain resolute, with several caravans of party supporters making their way toward Islamabad. One convoy departed from the residence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, in Dera Ismail Khan. This convoy is being led by Gandapur’s brother, Omar Amin, along with supporters from surrounding regions. Additional convoys from other areas like Tank, South Waziristan, and Lakki Marwat have also begun to gather at the Hakla–Yarik Motorway Interchange, en route to Islamabad.
The PTI caravans are reportedly bringing heavy machinery to clear blocked roads along the way, aiming to ensure smooth passage for their members heading to the capital. Another convoy, led by Provincial Minister Allama Adnan Qadri and District General Secretary Haji Amir Khan, left from Karak. Another group from Khyber District, headed by PTI’s Peshawar District President Irfan Saleem and KP Health Minister Pakhtun Yar Khan, is also making its way to Islamabad.
These developments come amid growing tensions as the government braces for a potentially large-scale demonstration in the capital, with PTI supporters demanding action against the ruling government. The increasing number of arrests and the mobilization of PTI workers signal a high-stakes political standoff between the opposition and the authorities, with the situation likely to escalate in the coming days.
