SWABI: More than 90 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) were arrested in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday for holding rallies against the detention of their party’s chairman Imran Khan.

In Swabi, about 70 workers and local leaders of PTI were arrested by police after charging them with batons when they staged a protest rally at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk.

Nine local leaders of the party were nabbed even before the start of the protest. The number of the arrested workers can increase as police have launched a search operation against them across the district.

The protesters were led by former MPAs, Rangaiz Khan and Aqibullah Khan, a brother of former speaker of National Assembly Asad Qaiser. However, both of them managed to escape when police restored to baton charge to disperse the protesters.

As they were protesting, police slowly and gradually encircled them and when assured that none of them could resist the kathicharge began and soon everyone was running for cover to avoid arrest.

Police baton-charge protesters in Swabi to disperse them

Earlier Mohammad Sohail Yousafzai, district president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)and eight more key leaders were arrested here on Monday when they tried to stage a protest against Imran Khan arresting.

The PTI leadership who advised the workers a day back to avoid arresting have suddenly announced that they would stage protest in Karnal Sher Khan chowk in district headquarters.

Soon the district police have blocked all routes leading to the chowk and heavy contingent of police were present in headquarters of four Tehsils, blocking their march to reach district headquarters.

Sohail Yousafzai, Usman Sher and Khalid Khan were arrested in Topi tehsil while Shah Wali Khan, PTI former candidate for provincial assembly, along with other two activists was arrested at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk.

Three PTI workers including former tehsil nazim Sohail Khan arrested In Chota Lahor.

Earlier, Swabi tehsil chairman Attaullah Khan in a video message asked police and district administration to refrain from disturbing their peaceful protest against arrest of their leader.

Officials said that Section 144 was imposed in the district for three months and the violators would be arrested.

In Mardan, police arrested about 20 PTI workers for holding a protest against the arrest of Imran Khan.

Police said that they arrested the PTI activists for violating Section144. However, no prominent leader of the party participated in the protest.

PTI provincial vice president Zahir Shah Khan Toru told this scribe by telephone that police raided his hujra to arrest him. He said that he he was not present in his home at the time of raid.

In Bajaur, police have arrested two local leaders of PTI and booked 15 others including former MNA Gul Zafar Khan for violating Section 144.

PTI local leaders Rehanzeb Khan and Mian Habib Gul were arrested in Haji Lawang area and Shah Nari area late on Sunday evening and Monday after noon, respectively.

An FIR was registered against them for violating Section 144 by holding a protest at Khar Bazaar on Saturday against the detention of PTI chairman Imran Khan in the Toshkhana case.

Police on Monday registered FIR against 15 PTI activists including party former MNA Gul Zafar Khan, his brother and party local chapter senior vice president Sikandar Zeb Khan.

FIR against five local leaders of PTI including Nawagi tehsil council chairman Dr Khalilur Rahman was registered on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2023