The Punjab police have yet again relaunched a massive crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, claiming that the raids are being carried out for the suspects wanted for alleged involvement in May 9 violence in Pakistan, reported Dawn.
About 70 PTI workers and local leaders in Swabi were arrested by police after they charged them with batons during a protest gathering they held at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk.
"Eid Mubarak to my Pakistanis. This is the most painful Eid for me. Around 10,000 of our workers and supporters are jailed and being treated as criminals for exercising their constitutional right to protest peacefully," Imran Khan said in a tweet on Thursday.
Khan's allegations come hours after Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah claimed in a press conference that intelligence agencies had intercepted a call revealing a plot to stage a fake encounter and rape incident by members of the PTI.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has appealed to his party workers and office bearers not to stay inside their homes but to hide, adding that a one-sided narrative was being spread against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
"So without any investigation into who was responsible for arson on a government building or dozens of deaths of unarmed protesters by bullet wounds, around 7000 PTI workers, leadership and our women have been jailed with plans to ban the largest and only federal party in Pak," Khan tweeted
Imran Khan's political outfit, PTI, saw arrests of over 564 workers for violence after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's arrest and more arrests are being made, according to Dawn.
Notably, Shehbaz Sharif earlier decided to extend his stay for one more day on the directives of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif in London when he went for King Charles's coronation.
The supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were ecstatic over the release of their leader, Imran Khan and celebrated the top court's decision.
Protests were seen in cities including Washington, New York, and Chicago. On Tuesday evening, supporters of Imran Khan gathered outside the Pakistan High Commission in London to protest against his arrest.
PTI workers protested in cities across the country, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan, reported Geo News.