LAHORE: Activists of the Haqooq-i-Khalq Party were arrested on Friday while holding a peaceful demonstration outside the press club to show solidarity with the Joint Action Committee of AJK.

However, a party spokesperson says that all the detainees have been released on the condition that there will be no demonstration on Saturday (today).

Activist Farooq Tariq was also among those arrested during the peaceful solidarity protest with the people of Kashmir. He was dragged, harassed and forcibly taken away in a police van. Along with him, Punjab Police arrested dozens of other protesters, including Muzammil Kakar and Hussain Jameel Faridi.

The HKP expressed its deep concerns on the arrests as there was no information about the whereabouts of Farooq Tariq or other detainees. The party demanded their immediate release and called on the authorities to disclose their whereabouts without delay.

The Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (PKRC) also strongly condemned the arbitrary arrest of its Federal Committee member, Farooq Tariq.

Police dispersed the peaceful gathering, dragging and harassing protesters before forcing them into police vans. Among those arrested are members of Haqooq-e-Khalq Party, Khalq Youth Front and Progressive Students Collective, including Haris Azad, Zahid Ali, Ali Raza, Ali Abdullah, Rai Ali Aftab, Sher Ali, and others.

The PKRC said, “The incommunicado detention is unacceptable and it violates the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and political dissent”.

Later, Farooq Tariq shared a status on his social media accounts, saying, “We are rescheduling today’s protest. We will organise it again. Please do not go to Shimla Hill (press club) now. Next time we will come with permission”.

The protest was organised in solidarity with the Azad Jammu & Kashmir’s Joint Awami Action Committee demanding “democratic rights, economic justice, and accountable governance”.

The committee in Kashmir has been protesting in Rawalakot and other cities of Azad Kashmir since early June. It claims that 30 protesters had been killed by the crackdown by armed forces since the polling day on July 27. The committee’s main demand includes abolition of 12 assembly seats for Kashmiris living in various cities of Pakistan.

The PKRC has also demanded an end to the criminalisation of peaceful political activity and solidarity protests, respect for the constitutional rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2026