Pakistani police free leader of former premier Khan’s opposition party

Gohar Khan, Chairman of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who along with other party leaders was detained by police, addresses the media outside the Anti Terrorism Court (ATC), following his release in Islamabad, Pakistan on September 10, 2024. (REUTERS)
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  • Gohar Khan was arrested along with several other PTI leaders on Monday night 
  • PTI spokesperson says 12 other leaders of the party remain in police custody 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police on Tuesday freed the chairman of the opposition party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, a day after he was detained outside parliament on a charge of allegedly inciting violence, his party said.

Islamabad police in a statement confirmed the release of Gohar Khan, who is not related to the former premier. He was arrested along with several other leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party as they demanded Imran Khan’s release from prison.

After his release, Khan, who is also a lawmaker, called the arrests an attack on parliament. He asked the National Assembly speaker to investigate.

Party spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari said 12 others were still in police custody.

PTI’s top leadership denounced the arrests, vowing their campaign would continue until the former premier Khan’s release.

The former prime minister was imprisoned last year after his conviction in a graft case. He remains a popular figure despite his ouster in a no-confidence vote in 2022.