Salman Akram Raja, the Secretary General of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced on Thursday that he had been released after a brief detention, an event his party attributes to the Islamabad police.
The PTI made a statement on social media at 4:39 PM, alleging that Raja, along with Latasob Satti and others, had been “unlawfully abducted” while en route to Kotli Sattian for the funeral of a PTI worker. Latasob Satti’s Facebook post indicated that his son, Ikhlaq Ahmad Satti, was also among those detained.
According to the PTI, the detained individuals were taken to Nilore police station in Islamabad. They accused the authorities of conducting these arrests to thwart attendance at the funeral.
Details of the Detention and Release
In a follow-up post at 5:32 PM, Raja confirmed that he, Latasob, Ikhlaq, and several associates had been held for four hours before their release. He criticized the government’s actions, asserting that the primary aim was to obstruct their participation in the funeral of the late Ijaz Satti. Raja lamented that such actions reflect a fear of public dissent, stating, “The fear of the public has stripped the decision-makers of their reason and sense,” and he remarked that “human rights have become meaningless.”
Latasob, who is a retired major, also shared a photograph on social media, celebrating their release.
Condemnation from Party Leadership
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan condemned the alleged detentions, asserting that around 700 PTI workers had been arrested in recent days, with arrest warrants issued for members of the National and Provincial Assemblies. He declared, “This is all illegal. This must end now,” emphasizing the need for an immediate halt to such practices.
Earlier in the day, Raja participated in a press conference alongside fellow PTI leader Taimur Saleem Jhagra. The PTI has been actively organizing to rally support for a nationwide protest scheduled for September 27. During this period, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is touring Punjab to garner support.
Afridi has claimed that he was “abducted” by authorities in Lahore and subsequently released by the roadside. He also alleged that there was an attempt on his life. However, the Punjab government dismissed these claims of abduction, with Wazirabad police clarifying that the individual Afridi accused was actually a police constable assigned for his protection.
Government Response and Ongoing Restrictions
The Punjab government has instituted a prohibition on public gatherings from September 13 to 17. Additionally, local authorities have issued preventive detention orders against numerous PTI workers under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order, with 31 individuals targeted in one notification and an additional 14 in Toba Tek Singh.
In anticipation of the PTI’s planned march to the capital, the administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are preparing to counter the movement. This includes requests for the detention of activists, arranging containers, seeking additional law enforcement personnel, and acquiring anti-riot equipment. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi inspected various checkpoints in Attock that link Punjab to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to evaluate security measures in place.
