Sher Afzal Marwat, Barrister Gohar other PTI leaders arrested for rally violations in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD – Senior PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Khan, Sher Afzal Marwat, and Shoaib Shaheen have been arrested from outside parliament on Monday evening.

The action comes a day after PTI staged massive rally in the outskirts of the capital. The detention was conducted for violating section 144 in the capital.

The arrest drew significant criticism from PTI officials and social media users as party accused the PML-N led alliance government of hamhandedness.

On Sunday, IGP Islamabad, Ali Nasir Rizvi, announced that legal action will be taken against the organizers of a PTI rally in Sangjani for violating their No Objection Certificate (NOC).

The rally, which was supposed to start at 7pm, deviated from its route and resulted in stone-pelting that injured several officers. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd and additional forces were deployed. The organizers did not request an extension for the rally time, and a case will be filed for these violations.

Crackdown against PTI leaders

Several PTI leaders including Shoaib Shaheen were detained in capital city a day after massive gathering by Imran Khan’s party. Despite these arrests, PTI leaders expressed continued support for Imran Khan. Police were seen detaining a PTI MNA, with supporters attempting to intervene during the arrest.

Following the detentions, a significant number of law enforcement officers were deployed around the National Assembly. Islamabad Police suggested that more PTI leaders could face arrest, with officers stationed both inside and outside Parliament.

Zartaj Gul, another PTI leader, managed to avoid arrest, while Zain Qureshi, Aamir Dogar, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza attempted to leave Parliament. Dogar criticized the arrest of lawmakers and called on the National Assembly speaker and Senate chairman to address the issue urgently.

Several cases have been filed against the PTI leadership for breaching an agreement related to their September 8 rally. The first case, registered at Sangjani Police Station, pertains to exceeding the agreed time limit. The second, filed at Sumbal Police Station, involves violations of the designated route, with the convoy passing through Sadaat Colony and Srinagar Highway. A third case, at Noon Police Station, alleges stone-throwing incidents against SSP Safe City and other officials.

In response to the arrests, the Red Zone in Islamabad was unexpectedly sealed, causing major traffic disruptions. Authorities have indicated that more PTI parliamentarians are likely to be arrested soon.