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Pakistan Police Raid Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Party Office and Arrest its Spokesman

Women police officers taking the arrested female workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the party's headquarters into police van after a security raid in Islamabad on July 22, 2024. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
Women police officers taking the arrested female workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the party's headquarters into police van after a security raid in Islamabad on July 22, 2024. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
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Pakistan Police Raid Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Party Office and Arrest its Spokesman

Women police officers taking the arrested female workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the party's headquarters into police van after a security raid in Islamabad on July 22, 2024. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
Women police officers taking the arrested female workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from the party's headquarters into police van after a security raid in Islamabad on July 22, 2024. (Photo by Aamir QURESHI / AFP)

Pakistan's police raided the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party office in Islamabad on Monday and arrested its spokesman for carrying out anti-state propaganda, the Interior Ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry said officers also arrested Ahmad Janjua, a media coordinator for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI party. Janjua was arrested over the weekend in a separate raid, The Associated Press said.
The arrests have drawn criticism from Gohar Ali Khan, the chairman of PTI, who said authorities also arrested some other workers of the party's media wing, in a series of police raids in recent weeks.
Pakistani authorities often accuse the PTI of running a campaign against the country's institutions, a reference to the military, a charge the party denies.
Khan has been embroiled in more than 150 cases since 2022 when he was ousted through a vote of no-confidence in the parliament.
He has been held at a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi since last year after his arrest.

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Taiwan President Warns of China's 'Infiltration' Effort, Vows Counter Measures

Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, of Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP), holds a press conference, following the victory in the presidential elections, in Taipei, Taiwan January 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, of Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP), holds a press conference, following the victory in the presidential elections, in Taipei, Taiwan January 13, 2024. (Reuters)
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Taiwan President Warns of China's 'Infiltration' Effort, Vows Counter Measures

Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, of Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP), holds a press conference, following the victory in the presidential elections, in Taipei, Taiwan January 13, 2024. (Reuters)
Taiwan President-elect Lai Ching-te, of Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP), holds a press conference, following the victory in the presidential elections, in Taipei, Taiwan January 13, 2024. (Reuters)

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday China has deepened its influence campaigns and infiltration against the democratic island, pledging measures to tackle Beijing's efforts to "absorb" Taiwan.
Taiwan has accused China of stepping up military drills, trade sanctions and influence campaigns against the island in recent years to force the island to accept Chinese sovereignty claims, Reuters said.
Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with senior security officials, Lai said Beijing had used Taiwan's democracy to "absorb" various members of society including organized crime groups, media personalities, and current and former military and police officers.
"They (China) are carrying out activities such as division, destruction, and subversion from within us," Lai told a press briefing broadcast live from the presidential office.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Citing government data, Lai said 64 people were charged for Chinese espionage
last year, three times more than in 2021. He said the majority of them were current or former military officials.
"Many are worried that our country, hard-earned freedom and democracy and prosperity will be lost bit by bit due to these influence campaigns and manipulation," Lai said.
By making these efforts, Lai said China constituted what Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Act defined as "foreign hostile forces".
The president proposed 17 legal and economic countermeasures, including the strict review of Taiwan visits or residency applications by Chinese citizens, and proposals to resume the work of the military court.
Lai also said his government would make "necessary adjustments" to the flows of money, people and technology across the strait. He did not elaborate.
In addition, he said the government would issue "reminders" to Taiwanese actors and singers performing in China on their "statements and actions", a response to what Taipei sees as an ongoing Chinese campaign to pressure pop stars to make pro-Beijing comments.
"We have no choice but to take more active actions."
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says only the island's people can decide their future.