Police arrested 120 activists of Pakistan’s main opposition party in raids overnight, security officials said, ahead of protests planned for Tuesday, the second anniversary of the jailing of their leader, Imran Khan.

Axar.az informs, citing Reuters, most of the detentions, made on Monday night and early on Tuesday, were in the eastern city of Lahore where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party vowed its biggest demonstration, as well as protests elsewhere.

At least 200 activists had been arrested from Lahore, said party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari, adding that the protest would go ahead.

Lahore is the capital of the eastern province of Punjab, the country’s most politically important region and home to half its population.

In a statement on Monday, police said large contingents of police were providing security in all the province’s major cities.

The former cricket star was elected prime minister in 2018 but, once in office, fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military and was ousted in 2022 through a vote in parliament.

His arrest in May 2023 sparked protests against the military nationwide, leading to a crackdown on the party.