Security officials said on Tuesday that dozens of activists belonging to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party have been arrested, with most detentions made last Monday night and early on Tuesday in the eastern city of Lahore, where the PTI has called a huge demonstration later in the day.

At least 200 activists had been arrested from Lahore, said PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari, adding that the protests would still take place. Lahore is the capital of Punjab, the country’s most politically important region and home to half of its population. Khan, a popular cricket star, was elected prime minister in 2018. But once in office, he fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military and was toppled in 2022 through a vote in parliament. His arrest in May 2023 on several charges spurred widespread protests against the military, leading to a crackdown on the party.

In a message attributed to Khan on his party’s X account last Monday, he urged supporters to “come out and hold peaceful protests until a true democracy is restored in the country”. The former leader has “overwhelming support” in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in particular, where tens of thousands of people have come out to protest, said Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from the province’s city of Peshawar. Reports have emerged, however, of police cracking down on demonstrators. Khan’s party posted a video on its X account on Tuesday, showing a former PTI candidate, Rehana Dar, being carried into a police van by personnel with riot gear. “An elder like Rehana Dar is being dragged by the shameless Punjab Police, a disgraceful sight,” the PTI said.

Social media videos also showed at least two other people being detained in Lahore. The PTI’s Multan chapter alleged that its Lahore rally was “attacked by police”, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported on Tuesday. “Rallies are being held today on the orders of the PTI founder,” PTI chairman Gohar Ali Khan said in a statement, adding they would continue until Khan’s release. The rallies were held despite the government’s order barring “illegal” gatherings and large assemblies, Pakistan’s Geo TV reported. (Al Jazeera/ Reuters)