LAHORE:   -   Amid protest calls by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Punjab Home Department on Friday imposed a ban for seven days on all kinds of processions, rallies, dharnas and protests across the province slapping Section 144 aimed at maintaining law and order, protect human lives and property throughout the province.

The ban has been enforced immediately and will remain in effect until Thursday (June 27). Punjab Home Department clarified that the ban on public gathering was imposed in view of the threat of terrorism. According to reports, public gatherings and assemblies were likely to provide a soft target for terrorists and miscreants, therefore, ban has been imposed on all types of public gatherings, processions, rallies, sit-ins or protests across Punjab.

Despite Home Department’s justification behind imposition of the Section 144, this sudden move is largely perceived as an attempt to suppress Pakistan Tehreek-e-Inset’s protest call across the province. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced to stage protests across the province after Friday sermon yesterday (Friday ) against the alleged rigging in the February 8 elections and for release of founding chairman Imran Khan.

As soon as the protest was announced by the Tehreek-e-Insaf, police lodged a massive crackdown against PTI leaders and ticket holders late at night in Lahore.

The houses of PTI leaders Usman Hamza, Hamad Awan, Aslam Iqbal’s brother were raided. On the other hand, fearing arrest, opposition members of the provincial assembly decided to not attend assembly proceedings on Friday.

According to Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed, police raided his house and MPA Mian Haroon and Sheikh Imtiaz’s residence. Moreover, police raided the house of PTI leader Chaudhry Mudassar from PP-163 and arrested his brother Ch Mubeen.

Amidst the imposition of Section 144 and police crackdown, PTI Lahore’s leadership, to some extent, managed to hold rallies in their respective constituencies. In Shahdara, a rally was taken out for release of Imran Khan under the leadership of Yasir Gilani PP-145 and Ali Ejaz Buttar NA-117. PTI Lahore president headed the rally in Malik Park Lahore. PTI workers took out bike rally from Taxali Gate to Bhati Gate. Simultaneously, PTI’s Data Ganjbakhsh president Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor also took out the rally demanding release of Imran Khan. Sardar Azeemullah Khan, additional general secretary PTI Central Punjab, took out the rally in PP-163 for release of Imran Khan.

The police in the province were immediately galvanised to refrain PTI workers from shaping into a large public gathering following the call for protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as PTI announced to hold the protest across Punjab despite imposition of Section 144 .

Advocate Azhar Siddique of PTI challenged the imposition of section 144 by Punjab government in the Lahore High Court, arguing that imposition of section 144 was a clear violation of basic human rights of the common people and it has been imposed to restrict political parties from exercising their freedom of expression.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Punjab Acting President and General Secretary MianHammadAzhar and Punjab Information Secretary ShaukatMehmood Basra said in their joint statement that Maryam Safdar has turned Punjab into a police state. Police and unidentified persons raided the houses of ticket holders and workers at night, they alleged .

Both leaders demanded the immediate release of their detained workers, leaders and activists.

The leaders of PTI expressed hope that that founding chairman of PTI Imran Khan will soon be acquitted of all false cases and he will be released soon.