ISLAMABAD: The caretaker administration of Punjab province on Saturday instructed the police to arrest of all female supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party who participated in attacks on military installations following his arrest on graft charges earlier this month.
According to Khan’s party, the authorities have already arrested 7,000 of its supporters along with at least 19 leaders “without any investigation.” Most of these individuals allegedly participated in violent protests that broke out in different Pakistani cities following Khan’s arrest by paramilitary Rangers on May 9.
Khan was detained in a land fraud case on the instructions of the country’s anti-corruption body, though he was later released on bail.
“Women protesters of the PTI, whose names have been included in the [police reports] registered under the anti-terrorism act for attacking military installations must be arrested,” an official statement quoted the Punjab caretaker chief minister, Mohsin Naqvi, as saying.
However, he barred male police officials from arresting women protesters while asking lady police personnel to perform the job. He also instructed that all these protesters should be taken to a women’s prison.
According to the statement, more than 500 women supporters of the PTI from across Punjab have been booked in 138 cases related to the May 9 protests.
“Women involved in the attacks on military installations do not deserve any exemption,” the statement said.
However, it added that those female protestors who surrendered themselves by visiting lady police stations could be shown some leniency.
Some international rights groups have urged the Pakistani government to stop “arbitrary arrests” of peaceful protesters and opposition political activists.
“Fundamental guarantees of peaceful protest and due process should not become casualties of Pakistan’s political conflict,” said Human Rights Watch in a recent statement.
