Lahore, Jun 16 (PTI) Leading human rights organisation has expressed extreme concern over the crackdown launched by the Pakistani authorities to "silence critics" of the federal government and the powerful Army and the slew of cases registered against journalists following the dramatic arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan last month.

“At least seven journalists and commentators have been charged with offences against the state and anti-terror laws in the past four days,” Amnesty International said in a statement on Thursday.

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“The use of these laws to silence commentators and journalists is a violation of the right to freedom of expression,” the statement said.

The seven individuals referred to in Amnesty International's statement include journalists Shaheen Sehbai and Wajahat Saeed Khan, anchorpersons Sabir Shakir and Moeed Pirzada, army-officers-turned-Youtubers Adil Raja and Syed Haider Raza Mehdi and an individual identified as Syed Akbar Hussain.

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They are the latest to face action as part of the government crackdown on Khan and his party the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party members following the incidents of violence across the country on May 9.

On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan by paramilitary Rangers in Islamabad.

PTI workers allegedly vandalised over 20 military installations and government buildings, including the Lahore Corps Commander House, Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad.

The Army headquarters in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.

Khan was later released on bail.

The violence elicited a strong reaction from the government and military with vows of taking action against the culprits, leading to an ongoing crackdown against those involved.

Law enforcement agencies have arrested over 10,000 workers of Khan's Pakistan party across Pakistan, 4,000 of them from Punjab province.

The Punjab Home Department has constituted 10 different joint investigation teams to probe into the attacks and violent protests on May 9, which the army dubbed "Black Day".

Khan, 70, the chairman of PTI, is facing more than 100 cases across the country.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's National Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution demanding that the perpetrators of the May 9 violence be booked under the stringent Army Act.

The resolution -- presented by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif -- was approved by a majority vote in the lower house of Parliament, the National Assembly's official handle tweeted.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)