Police detain Aliya Hamza and other PTI leaders in Rawalpindi over unauthorised youth convention

A tense standoff unfolded in Rawalpindi as police in Pakistan arrested senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Aliya Hamza and several party workers during a youth convention, sparking public outrage and protest late Friday night.

The PTI Punjab Chief Organiser was taken into custody alongside at least eight supporters for allegedly organising a public event without formal permission. Authorities said the gathering violated official protocols, but PTI leaders have called the arrests a clear breach of their constitutional rights.

Aliya Hamza was arrested at a youth convention in Rawalpindi. It is our constitutional right to protest or hold such gatherings—we did nothing unlawful,” PTI leader Seemabia Tahir told reporters. Tahir confirmed that Hamza and fellow party leader Shamim Aftab were moved to the Women Police Station, while five other workers were sent to the Airport Police Station.

The situation outside Rawalpindi’s Civil Lines Police Station grew increasingly volatile as PTI supporters rallied in protest. Chanting slogans and waving party flags, demonstrators demanded the immediate release of their leaders. Police responded by bolstering their presence, wary of unrest spiralling out of control.

Hamza’s arrest marks another flashpoint in PTI’s prolonged struggle with state authorities, which has intensified since the ousting and imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan. The party maintains it is being systematically denied the right to assemble and campaign, while the government insists security and legal procedures must be followed.

Friday’s confrontation came just a day after a separate high-profile incident, where Imran Khan’s sisters—Aleema Khan, Noreen Khanum and Uzma Khanum—were detained along with opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan, Sunni Ittehad Council’s Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Punjab Opposition Leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar. They were stopped at a checkpoint near Adiala Jail, where Khan is currently incarcerated, following a heated exchange with police who barred them from visiting him.

Tensions have simmered for weeks around Adiala Jail, where multiple protests have already occurred. Earlier this month, PTI workers clashed with law enforcement in the area, prompting a wave of arrests and further tightening of public order measures.

Despite the mounting pressure, PTI shows no signs of retreating. Party leaders have repeatedly emphasised their commitment to peaceful protest and public engagement. “We’re not stepping back,” Tahir asserted. “If political space is taken from us, we will reclaim it through the people.”

Police sources say more arrests could follow if PTI attempts to defy existing restrictions, but party organisers have vowed to continue holding events and connecting with their base, especially the youth.

This latest crackdown in Pakistan once again highlights the growing friction between a powerful state apparatus and an embattled opposition movement determined to remain relevant. The youth convention—intended to mobilise young supporters and reassert PTI’s presence—has instead become a flashpoint for renewed government confrontation.

With no clear path to reconciliation in sight, Pakistan’s political tensions are poised to deepen as both sides dig in. For many PTI loyalists, the arrests have only strengthened their resolve, fuelling more protests and amplifying calls for a level playing field.