On Thursday, May 25, the former Pakistan Prime Minister and PTI chief Imran Khan, his spouse Bushra Bibi and 80 other members of his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were put on the ‘no-fly list’.
According to reports, the names on the no-fly list include prominent PTI figures such as Qasim Suri, Asad Umar, Asad Qaiser, Aslam Iqbal, Yasmin Rashid, Murad Saeed, Malika Bukhari, Fawad Chaudhary, and Hammad Azhar.
Reports quoted sources as saying that the Ministry of Interior in Pakistan acted swiftly to ensure that the details of these persons are sent to all airports and departure points around the country. The appropriate authorities have been asked to strictly execute the prohibition and prevent any of the listed individuals from travelling overseas with immediate effect.
In addition, the Lahore police handed the names of 700 PTI leaders to Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday (May 24), requesting that they restrict their overseas travel for one month. The FIA has been asked to place their names on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), which prevents them from travelling abroad for the time being.
The list sent to the FIA included the names of fashion designer Khadija Shah, PTI’s senior leader Shafqat Mahmood, Imran Khan’s nephew Hassaan Niazi, PTI’s supporter Sanam Javed Khan, who got famous after her protests outside Zaman Park, and others.
‘Forced divorces’: Imran Khan accuses Pak govt after PTI leaders quit the party
Meanwhile, Imran Khan, Thursday took to Twitter to pen a long note, accusing the ruling dispensation of Pakistan of trying to dismantle his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), by “forced divorces”.
Last year on the 25th of May commenced our descent into fascism. While three long marches by PDM during the 3.5 years of PTI govt were allowed without any hindrance, we faced the full force of state terror.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 25, 2023
Houses broken in the middle of the night and PTI office bearers and…
The PTI chief said the government, on the pretext of May 9 violence and arson, is trying to dismantle the party by “forced divorces” and by trying PTI members in military courts.
The statement came after some of his aides and other top leaders quit the party, condemning the violence unleashed by Imran Khan’s supporters following his dramatic arrest on May 9.
Protests erupt in different cities after Imran Khan’s arrest
The development came amid speculations that the Pakistan government is mulling banning former prime minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf for the chaos that erupted in various parts of Pakistan after Imran Khan’s dramatic arrest on May 9, 2023.
The former Prime Minister and PTI chief’s supporters have taken to the streets to protest against his arrest. According to reports, the large-scale protests emerged after the party appealed to the people to hit the streets.
The protests had reportedly spread to various cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar and Mardan. Angry crowds of protesters, presumably PTI supporters, chanting Allahu Akbar and Nara-e-Takbeer had lined up on the streets of Pakistan, going on a rampage against Army establishments to protest against Khan’s arrest.
For the first time in Pakistan’s history, protesters stormed the army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and also torched a corps commander’s house in Lahore.
The Army and police in Pakistan had resorted to water canons and tear gas to disperse Imran Khan’s angry supporters who had created a ruckus in several parts of the country.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister and PTI chief Imran Khan arrested from outside the Islamabad High Court
The protest erupted after former Pakistan Prime Minister and PTI chief Imran Khan was arrested from outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by Pakistani Rangers. Imran Khan had reportedly gone to the Islamabad HC to seek bail in multiple FIRs registered against him.
According to local media, the PTI chairman was taken in a black Vigo by the law enforcement agency.
The PTI chief reportedly has been arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case of the National Accountability Bureau as well as the Toshakhana case.
