KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Pakistani police have arrested over 400 individuals, including 60 Afghan citizens, in the capital city of Islamabad for their involvement in a protest organized by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
As reported by Pakistani media The Express Tribune, the individuals were arrested early Friday from the Bara Kahu, Tarnol, and Sagjani neighborhoods of Islamabad.
The crackdown comes after Mr. Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), called for a mass protest in the D-Chowk area of Islamabad on Friday, framing it as a “battle for true freedom.”
In response, Pakistani law enforcement agencies have implemented strict security measures to prevent demonstrators from reaching the protest site. Since early morning, most roads have been blocked, and communication tools, including phone and internet services, have been shut down throughout the city.
Earlier today, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned PTI leaders and protesters to reconsider their demonstration, citing the presence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is in Islamabad on an official visit.
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and leader of the PTI party has been in jail for over a year in connection with more than 150 cases filed against him.
He and his party remain popular despite the cases, which his supporters and party argue are politically motivated. Mr. Khan was ousted from power in 2022 through a no-confidence vote in Parliament and was arrested in 2023 after a court sentenced him to three years in prison.
Since his arrest, his supporters and party members have organized several protests across the country, some of which turned violent, demanding the immediate release of Mr. Khan and other senior party members.
This is not the first time Afghan nationals have been arrested in Pakistan for their involvement in protests supporting Mr. Khan’s party. In March of last year, dozens of Afghans were arrested during a mass protest in response to police attempts to detain Mr. Khan.
Pakistan hosts millions of Afghans who have fled conflict, persecution, and unemployment in their homeland. According to the UN, there are currently 3.2 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
In recent years, Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused Afghan nationals, particularly those without legal documentation, of being involved in instability and supporting militant groups like the TTP and others.
Last November, the country launched a crackdown on undocumented foreign nationals, primarily targeting Afghans, and described the decision as a counter-terrorism measure. Since then, it has sent back over 773,000 Afghans to the Taliban-controlled and impoverished Afghanistan.