On Monday, Pakistan police conducted a raid on the headquarters of the party led by Imran Khan, the former prime minister who is currently imprisoned. This action comes just a week after the government announced its intention to ban the political movement.
An AFP journalist witnessed the headquarters of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) being sealed off by officers, who then escorted several party workers into awaiting vans. Initial reports from Pakistani media suggested that Gohar Ali Khan, the party chairman and a barrister, was among those detained. However, an Islamabad Police official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, clarified to AFP that Gohar Ali Khan was not arrested. The official did confirm the arrest of Raoof Hassan, a founding member of the party and the head of its press department.
Raoof Hasan informed AFP that over the past two months, at least 10 members of PTI or their relatives have been apprehended, with some disappearing without a trace. He specifically mentioned that seven of those detained were from his department, which he believes the authorities aim to cripple due to their refusal to remain silent.
Last week, the government's information minister announced plans to ban PTI, shortly after the Supreme Court issued a pivotal ruling in favor of the party, significantly impacting the government. Khan has been in jail for almost a year, but an Islamabad judge recently overturned his conviction for an illegal marriage. Concurrently, the Supreme Court granted PTI additional parliamentary seats, positioning them to become the largest party in the National Assembly.
Despite these developments, Khan remains in jail, facing new charges of inciting protests and corruption. He asserts that the numerous legal cases against him are orchestrated to thwart his potential return to power.
