LAHORE: Police have arrested a suspect belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on charges of training individuals to carry out another May 9-like violence in the provincial capital during the party’s call for Sept 27 protests.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran described the individual as a PTI “goon” who wanted to sabotage peace. The PTI vehemently rejected the Lahore police claim.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Faisal Kamran claimed that police had seized an audio recording from the mobile phone of the suspect who was identified as Amin.

He said the suspect and a PTI woman could be heard arranging 20 to 30 `rioters’ for the May 9-like violence across the provincial capital.

Party vehemently rejects claim

The DIG said the woman, yet to be arrested, was identified as Fatima Haider, whom the suspect described as a ‘PTI welfare wing’ member.

She was already involved in the May 9 cases and was on bail, Faisal Kamran said, adding that she could be heard talking to Amin in the audio recording that the individuals would be imparted training to create an unrest during Sept 27 protests.

He said the ‘goons’ were to be brought to Lahore to create a situation similar to the May 9 violence.

“The police got information of the conspiracy on Sept 26 and arrested Amin who hailed from Sahiwal and was working as a driver for the woman’s family”, the DIG said.

The police also seized several other audio recordings from the mobile phone of the arrested suspect which further revealed more such disturbing plans of the PTI’s individuals despite the fact that the party leadership had multiple times claimed of carrying out ‘peacful protests’.

Following the sensitivity of the matter, the police formed multiple teams to track down all the suspects involved in the ‘nefarious’ plan.

PTI reaction: PTI strongly rejected Punjab police allegations surrounding individuals named Amin and Fatima Haider as part of Punjab government’s “vague narrative campaign.”

Responding to Faisal Kamran’s news conference, Punjab PTI information secretary Shaukat Basra told Dawn that Punjab’s “Gullu Butt” should stop creating false narratives like the May 9 false-flag operation. He said the PTI had always been peaceful and remained so in the light of explicit instructions of party founder Imran Khan.

Mr Basra asked police to stop asking riddles and bring clear evidence to light. He said the party’s stance had always remained clear that May 9 was a false-flag operation and added those who stole the May 9 CCTV footage had not presented it in courts and were responsible for the May 9 violence.

“Like the May 9 false-flag operation, the DIG Lahore’s claim is a white lie and the allegation is planted”. He said all police officers in Punjab had “actually become Jati Umra slaves, orchestrating a campaign of lies.”

Referring to an IGP claim that “the police has not entered anyone’s house and took no illegal action,” the PTI information secretary said that he had challenged the IG and posted videos on his X handle, showing police entering private residences of people. He said no police officer had so far refuted his claim. He said the PTI still challenged the IGP and the CCPO to present the May 9 CCTV footage in courts.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2026