PTI Protests Against Alleged Rigging and Arrests

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers staged protests in major cities like Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi on Friday. The protests were against alleged rigging in general and by-elections, as well as for the release of PTI's incarcerated founder, Imran Khan. Reports emerged of police crackdowns on PTI activists in parts of Punjab, with dozens of workers arrested and raids conducted on their homes and offices to prevent protests.

In Lahore, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan stated that rigging took place at every polling station to defeat the PTI. Similar protests were held in Faisalabad, where police arrested PTI leaders and stopped a rally. PTI leaders also took to social media to condemn the arrests, accusing the government of stealing their electoral mandate.

The protests extended to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI is in power, with massive rallies in cities like Peshawar and Mardan. In Karachi, PTI Sindh chapter President Haleem Adil Sheikh led a protest rally demanding the release of Imran Khan and denouncing the alleged mandate theft.

PTI leader Omar Ayub Khan criticized the Punjab Inspector General of Police for mistreating PTI workers and called for the release of incarcerated party members. The protests also reached Quetta, where a large number of PTI workers and leaders held a rally.

The PTI's protests against alleged rigging and arrests reflect growing tensions in Pakistan's political landscape. The party's demands for the release of its founder and other incarcerated members highlight the ongoing challenges faced by opposition parties in the country.