Late Monday night, Islamabad police arrested key PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, and Advocate Shoaib Shaheen right outside Parliament. The arrest was confirmed by a police official, sparking strong reactions from within the party.
Islamabad police spokesperson Jawad Taqi confirmed the detention of all three leaders to Dawn. Marwat was reportedly the first to be taken into custody, leading PTI to call out the current government on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter).
In a fiery post, PTI criticized the arrest, stating that the “PMLN government should be ashamed of taking this step against a sitting MNA.” They also labeled it a “direct attack on democracy,” accusing the police of carrying out “illegal orders.” The party urged the Islamabad IG to step in and stop this “act of injustice.”
Another post condemned the “illegal” arrest of Barrister Gohar, calling it a disgrace to Parliament. “This is a moment of shame for the entire Parliament, marking a direct assault on whatever remains of democracy in Pakistan,” the post read. PTI also lashed out at the National Assembly Speaker for allowing such disrespect towards Parliament, further claiming that Pakistan is sliding into an undeclared martial law.
Marwat himself took to X, where a statement from his account read, “Once again, the state has shown its fear of Imran Khan and his supporters.” He emphasized that those arrested are not criminals but people standing up for democracy, the rule of law, and Pakistan’s freedom.
Opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan also condemned the arrests, revealing that police teams have been assembled to arrest him, Zartaj Gul Wazir, and other PTI leaders. He referred to the current regime as “fascist” and said they had lost control. “Our only crime,” Omar remarked, “is that we dared to challenge the status quo and stand by our leader, Imran Khan.”
Zulfi Bukhari, another PTI leader, echoed the outrage, demanding the immediate release of his colleagues and denouncing the continued use of these “failed tactics” by the government. He warned that such arrests would only fuel public anger against the ruling regime.
Even the Islamabad High Court Bar Association stood against the arrests of Marwat and Shoaib Shaheen, a former president of the association, calling for their immediate release and the withdrawal of all charges.
As tensions escalate, PTI leaders have remained in the spotlight, particularly after their much-anticipated rally in Islamabad on September 8. Police and party supporters clashed during the event when PTI members reportedly ignored traffic instructions, leading to a standoff with law enforcement.
PML-N Senator Talal Chaudhry has since vowed legal action against KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, accusing him of leading the charge against police during the rally. He assured that not only would those responsible for the attacks be arrested, but their “mastermind” would also face legal consequences.
Extraordinary security measures were in place across Islamabad ahead of the PTI rally, with containers blocking all entry points to the capital. Chaudhry made it clear that the government would not allow further political incitement and promised to implement strict measures to maintain order.