News & Updates

Pakistani police arrested anti-government protesters in what activists said was an effort to crack down on weekslong sit-ins in the capital, while the government said police only apprehended suspects in a recent attack on state-run TV. The party of famed cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan, who is leading one of two major protests demanding the government’s resignation, said a large number of party activists were detained in overnight raids beginning late Friday in Islamabad and elsewhere. He did not provide an exact number. “We are suspending talks with the government over these arrests,” party leader Jehanghir Tareen told a news conference. Anti-government cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, who has been leading parallel demonstrations, said police had also detained his supporters, and that he too would be suspending talks over the arrests. Pakistani news channels had earlier showed several detained supporters of Qadri and Khan arriving at a local court in two prison vans. Khan’s p

Signs of a possible solution to end the political crisis engulfing Pakistan looked bleak on saturday as anti-government protest leaders suspended talks with theNawaz Sharif government following a crackdown on demonstrators with opposition leader Imran Khan asserting that there was no room for negotiations any more. Pakistani police arrested several dozens of anti-government protestors and a court ordered that 100 opposition activists be sent to jail for holding illegal protests and other violations, triggering tense confrontation between demonstrators and police in the centre of the capital. Addressing his supporters on the completion of one month of protest, the fiery Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief announced to continue protests in front of Parliament till Sharif stepped down. “There is no room for negotiations any more. We will not leave till the premier resigns,” Khan said. He questioned Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif if it is democratic to arrest young workers. “Offic