Rawalpindi police detained Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza and activist Shamim Aftab during a workers’ convention at Chaklala Scheme III.
Aliya Hamza’s arrest highlights the ongoing tensions between PTI and the authorities. Police have not yet formally charged the detainees.
Rawalpindi police conducted a raid on the PTI gathering, during which they apprehended Hamza and Aftab and subsequently transferred them to the women’s police station in Rawalpindi. According to police sources, Hamza has not been formally arrested on specific charges. Authorities are still considering possible legal grounds for a formal arrest, leaving the situation uncertain.
Hamza, appointed Punjab Chief Organiser by Imran Khan in January 2025, has faced multiple detentions linked to her active participation in PTI-led protests. This incident follows her brief detention on April 8, 2025, near Adiala Jail during a demonstration against restricted access to Khan.
چیف آرگنائزر پنجاب عالیہ حمزہ ملک کو راولپنڈی ورکرز کنونشن سے گرفتار کرکے تھانہ پولیس لائن منتقل کردیا گیا
ہر روز خواتین پر ظلم کی نئی داستان لکھی جاتی ہے pic.twitter.com/uZx3jS8bTL
— PTI Rawalpindi (@PTIOfficialRWP) April 18, 2025The detention comes amid heightened PTI activity in Punjab, where Hamza leads party restructuring and organises workers for significant protests. Authorities repeatedly deny permissions for PTI rallies at locations like Minar-e-Pakistan, resulting in confrontations with police during earlier protests near Adiala Jail in April 2025.
On social media platform X, users such as @PTIOfficialRWP condemned Hamza’s detention, characterising it as part of ongoing “oppression against women.”
یہ پشاور نہیں بلکہ لاہور ہے جہاں عالیہ حمزہ کی گرفتاری کے وقت ورکرز مزاحمت اور نعرے بازی کر رہے ہیں
پنجاب مکمل طور پر تیار ہیں اس لئے خان صاحب کی رہائی کے لئے فوری لائحہ عمل دو 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BM8cKFDJBx
— Faisal Khan (@KaliwalYam) April 18, 2025Critics have previously raised concerns about Hamza’s frequent arrests, particularly following the May 9, 2023, protests, viewing these incidents as politically motivated. After a Lahore High Court ruling preventing further arrests without judicial permission expired in August 2024, authorities released Hamza from Gujranwala Jail.
The lack of formal charges raises questions regarding the legitimacy of Hamza’s detention, reinforcing PTI’s allegations of targeted harassment. Transferring her to the women’s police station suggests the authorities proceed cautiously to avoid further tensions. However, PTI leaders have cautioned authorities of potential public backlash if such detentions continue.
 Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza and Shamim Aftab at a Rawalpindi convention. No formal charges yet,){kind=link}