ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters launched a massive countrywide protest on Tuesday noon, soon after the arrest of party chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan.
Earlier, the PTI Chairman was arrested from the premises of Islamabad High Court, who was present in the court in the Al-Qadir Trust Case.
Meanwhile, the news of Imran Khan’s arrest spread in the country like a blazing inferno, followed by protests from PTI supporters across the country, including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and other cities.
Meanwhile, central leaders from the party, including Shah Mehmud Qureshi, Asad Umer, Fawad Chaudry, Khurram Habib, Qasim Khan Suri, Malaika Bukhari and others appealed to the nation to come to the street and protest against the move.
چئیرمین تحریک انصاف عمران خان کی غیر قانونی گرفتاری پر وائس چئیرمین تحریک انصاف شاہ محمود قریشی کا اہم ویڈیو پیغام
عظیم پاکستانیوں آج آپ لوگوں کو اپنے گھروں سے نکلنا ہوگا ، شاہ محمود قریشی
اپنے عظیم قائد عمران خان کیلئے جو آپ کے مستقبل کی لڑائی لڑ رہا ہے، شاہ محمود قریشی
آج… pic.twitter.com/L4LKg6Utdw
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 9, 2023
In Islamabad, the protesters gathered in front of the Islamabad High Court and adjacent Srinagar Highway and chanted slogans against the government and institutions while condemning the arrest of its leader.
Major roads in Islamabad blocked against Imran Khan’s arrest
Meanwhile, Faizabad Interchange that dissected Islamabad from Rawalpindi and the road leading towards Lahore was also closed, where jam-packed traffic could be seen from a video clip shared on Twitter.
Faizabad Right Now#نکلو_خان_کی_زندگی_بچاؤ#ReleaseImranKhan pic.twitter.com/K0B1UC42Bo
— PTI Rawalpindi (@PTIOfficialRWP) May 9, 2023
Due to traffic jams in Faizabad, the committers, bikers and passengers were facing problems in moving toward their destination.
Till receiving the last reports, police also arrested more than 20 workers who were protesting at Sri Nagar Highway in violation of Section 144.
Another major protest was held in Lahore where protestors were marching from Liberty towards the Cantonment area, and they entered the cant area till the filling of this report.
In Karachi, clashes were reported between police and protestors at Shahra-e-Faisal, where the police shelled and baton charged the protestors.
https://twitter.com/yewsufxai/status/1655901806067609605
In Peshawar, Protested rushed towards University Road and blocked one side of the main Peshawar-Torkham road while chanting slogans against the government. The protestors were there till the filing of the report. Another protest was reportedly mowing towards the house of Corp Commander Peshawar. Meanwhile, the university students also blocked BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) Service.
Peshawar stands with its leader#نکلو_خان_کی_زندگی_بچاؤhttps://t.co/rk9HY9gbNO
— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) May 9, 2023
Protested were reported from other areas, including Multan, Faisalabad, Swat, Bannu, Gadoon Industrial State, Charsadda, Sargodha, Lower Dir, Bajaur, Kohat, Gojar Khan, Mardan, Nowshera, Hafizabad, Rahim Yar Khan and other major and small cities.
Enraged PTI protesters also pelted stones at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s residence in Faisalabad and chanted slogans against the ruling coalition and Rana Sanaullah.
