At least six provincial lawmakers and dozens of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan were detained on Tuesday ahead of a planned protest demanding his release, according to his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The protest was scheduled to mark the second anniversary of Khan’s initial arrest on August 5, 2023. He faces multiple charges that he claims are politically motivated.

"Several arrests have been reported so far, including seven members of the Punjab assembly," said PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari, who is based in London for security reasons.

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The detentions took place in Lahore as the MPs were en route to the protest site. Social media posts from the party showed photos and videos of police vans taking away additional supporters.

Khan’s political momentum curtailed by repeated crackdowns

Despite remaining highly popular, Khan’s political momentum has been curtailed by repeated crackdowns on PTI leaders and activists. He was ousted from power in 2022 through a no-confidence vote after falling out with the country’s influential military.

Since August 2023, Khan has been in custody facing dozens of charges. In January, he and his wife were convicted of corruption and sentenced to 14 and 7 years in prison, respectively.

Separately, anti-terrorism courts in July and August handed down prison terms of up to 10 years to PTI leaders, including MPs and the opposition leader in the National Assembly, for their alleged roles in violent 2023 protests targeting military facilities.

In response to his continued detention, Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, children from his former marriage to Jemima Goldsmith, have launched an international media campaign to advocate for his release.