ISLAMABAD/LAHORE - The Ministry of Interior on Tuesday decided in a meeting that law and order would be ensured during the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that will commence from Lahore today (February 22).
The meeting also decided that the government would not arrest women and common political workers during the movement. A meeting that was held under the chair of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan reviewed the overall law and order situation across the country in the wake of the PTI movement, said a statement issued by the interior ministry.
The police chiefs as well as Home Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; the secretary interior, and inspector general of Islamabad Police were in attendance among others. The meeting decided that law violators would not be spared at any cost during the PTI’s anti-government movement and their anti-peace role will be highlighted at the time of issuance of police character certificates to such people. The government will keep records of such persons, the meeting said.
The purpose of ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ was to play a drama, to grab attention of the media and create a political instability by affecting law and order situation, the interior minister was quoted as saying this in the meeting. The minister said that evidence against the law breakers would be brought before the public to “expose their real face.” Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Court Arrest Drive’ was aimed at creating political instability, and law and order situation in the country.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s jail filling campaign will initiate Wednesday (today) as in the first phase of the movement five to six party leaders along with 200 hundred workers including party vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi will court their arrest at the Faisal Chowk on Mall Road in Lahore.
Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has finalised the list of five party leaders who will court their arrest in connection to PTI’s Jail Bharo movement. Murad Raas, Muhammad Madni, Senator Waleed Iqbal, Fawad Buller, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema are the five leaders selected by Imran Khan for the first phase of Jail Bharo movement.
Speaking to The Nation, Murad Raas confirmed that Imran Khan has finalised the names of aforementioned leaders including him. Speaking to the reporters outside Zaman Park in Lahore, Fawad Chaudhry said that the chapter of basic human rights has been abolished in Pakistan, hundreds of activists will start giving arrests today. The entire party is ready to fill the jails and Shah Mehmood Qureshi will be the first one to present himself for the arrest, he informed. In connection with the preparation of PTI’s jail Bahro movement a meeting of the governing body of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Punjab was held at the party office Jail Road Lahore on Tuesday. The meeting was presided by President Dr Yasmin Rashid. In the meeting, a detailed discussion was held regarding the preparations and initiation of highly anticipated symbolic Jail Bharo movement, the arrangements regarding the Jail Bharo movement were finalised during the meeting. In honour of the leaders and workers, a ceremony was also held at the party office, Jail Road.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Yasmin Rashid said that the capacity of jails will reduce due to the influx arrest of Tehreek-e-Insaf workers and leaders. Speaking to The Nation, senior PTI leader and close privy to Imran Khan, Zulfi Bhukari said, thousands of party workers along with party leaders will present themselves at Charing Cross for arrest.
Talking about the imposition of Section 144 on Mall Road, Zulfi said that we are not afraid of any violence or any cruelty by the police and we are ready to take every peaceful step for the sake of Pakistan. Speaking further in this regard, he said that the government is very worried at this time and by imposing section 144, the government has made our work easier, we are already ready for arrest. On the call of their beloved leader, party workers will come out in large numbers to court their arrests, he added.
Imran Khan’s protective bail dampens ‘court arrest drive’: Marriyum
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Tuesday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had made fun of his ‘court arrest drive’ by seeking protective bail.
“It is the first ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ in history which has been dampened by its leader’s protective bail ahead of its formal launch,” she said in a tweet.
The minister said the President’s Office should stay free of Imran Khan who had been taking the Constitution, law and judicial system just like a “joke”.