The opposition party in Pakistan was forced to cancel its rally in the city of Lahore after dozens of its supporters were arrested for defying a government ban on public gatherings. Pakistani police used water cannon and tear gas to break up the rally, leading to the arrest of over 40 people and the death of two supporters while in police custody.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed the situation, asking his supporters to stop the protest for fear that the government would use it as an excuse to stop the upcoming elections in the northern province of Punjab Pakistan. Despite initially stating that the rally was within his constitutional and democratic right, Khan was forced to call it off due to the heavy-handed response from the police.
The police crackdown on opposition supporters was deemed “unnecessary and brutal” by Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director of the Center for Research and Security Studies. He suggested that the federal government may be trying to delay the elections in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that the ban on protests was a weapon of the “fascist government” and its “imperialist forces.” Despite the obstacles, the people of Pakistan have always fought for their rights, Chaudhry stated.