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Pakistan police arrested more than 100 Imran Khan supporters during nationwide rallies marking three years of his imprisonment. The crackdown and Amnesty's criticism have intensified questions over his jail conditions and legal rights.
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Lahore,UPDATED: Aug 5, 2026 22:56 IST
More than 100 supporters of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan were arrested on Wednesday as rallies were held across the country to mark three years of his imprisonment, with police acting against protesters in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
The main rally was held in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party is in power. Protests were also reported from Lahore, Mianwali, Rawalpindi, Karachi and other places, as Khan's party and rights groups raised concerns over his detention and treatment in prison.
In Punjab, police baton-charged protesters and arrested scores of PTI workers in Lahore, Mianwali and Rawalpindi. On Lahore's Mall Road, police dispersed protesters demanding Khan's release and detained several demonstrators.
Videos shared on social media showed riot police using force against protesters. Some journalists covering the rally were also thrashed by police, leading to protests from media bodies.
PTI Punjab general secretary Chaudhry Bilal Ejaz said five party lawmakers were among 25 others arrested in Lahore. "Despite this era of oppression, repression, and fascism, a large number of PTI workers and office-bearers in Punjab staged protest rallies and pledged to stand with Imran Khan," he said.
According to PTI, at least 50 of its workers were arrested in Mianwali, Rawalpindi and other parts of Punjab.
In Karachi, police used tear gas to disperse PTI supporters protesting in the city's Saddar Town area and arrested more than 10 demonstrators. The party also claimed that six workers were arrested in Pano Aqil and 15 in Kandhkot.
Aleema Khan, sister of the deposed prime minister, said the movement for her brother's release had already begun and its next phase would be announced soon.
PTI senior leader and former federal minister Moonis Elahi alleged that Khan "has been denied meetings and proper medical treatment, and his eyesight has also deteriorated" in prison.
Another PTI leader, Sheryar Afridi, said: "They (establishment) may have taken away his freedom, but they could never break his resolve. They may have denied him comfort, but they could never diminish his courage. The nation stands with Kaptaan Imran Khan."
Khan, who was arrested on August 5, 2023, has remained in prison while facing multiple cases. His party has repeatedly alleged that the cases against him are politically motivated, a charge denied by the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government.
Meanwhile, Amnesty urged the Pakistani authorities to uphold the rights of the 73-year-old cricketer-turned-politician. "For three years, Pakistan's authorities have systematically denied Imran Khan the right to a fair trial, subjected him to prolonged solitary confinement, and limited his access to medical care and visitation rights," Acting Regional Director for South Asia Isabelle Lassee said.
She also said Khan had not been allowed to meet his family for more than eight months and that both he and his wife, Bushra Bibi, had been denied regular access to legal counsel since December 2025. The day saw rallies, arrests and fresh criticism over Khan's imprisonment, as his party stepped up its campaign for his release and Amnesty repeated its concerns over his rights in custody.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 5, 2026 22:56 IST
