50 PTI workers arrested from Lahore.
LAHORE - The tickets holders and local leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf from all 30 provincial assembly constituencies of the provincial capital, on the call of PTI founder, staged protests in their respective constituencies against the alleged rigging in general election and by-election after Friday sermon here in Lahore. On the other hand the Lahore Police launched overnight crackdown against PTI ticket holders and workers, raiding their residence in order to refrain them from flooding the streets with man power.
The police raided the offices, camps and houses of the PTI ticket holders on Thursday night and the series of roundups continued on Friday. As soon as PTI workers and leaders came out on streets police launched action against them detaining as many as 50 PTI workers across Lahore.
The camp office of PTI ticket holder Malik Hamad Awan from PP151 was raided by the police, the election office of PP 149 ticket holder Hafiz Zeeshan was also searched, besides residence of PTI ticket holder from Shahdara was also raided. Additionally, the house of PTI ticket holder from Kahna Azeem Ullah Khan was also searched by police on Thursday night. The protesters were carrying banners and pamphlets in their hands, demanding release of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.
The protesters said the February 8 election was allegedly rigged while the PTI founder was imprisoned in fabricated cases against which PTI took to the streets. The protesters said they were disappointed at the justice system, prompting them to mark protests on the streets under compulsion to get justice and they will continue their resistance until Imran Khan is released. The protesters also chanted anti-government slogans during the demonstration.
PTI Punjab’s chapter acting President and general secretary Mian Hammad Azhar said on the instructions of PTI founder Imran Khan, all the districts of Punjab, tehsil headquarters, held protest demonstrations against rigging and theft of PTI’s mandate in general and by-elections organized by members of national and provincial assemblies and ticket holders. A large number of local leadership and workers participated in demonstrations and raised slogans against the fake government of form 47, he added. Hammad Azhar added that police conducted raids in the camps and offices of national and provincial members and ticket holders in Punjab. He strongly condemned the harassment and arrest of workers. He said that this whole game is being played on the behest of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, terming her as fake CM and a product of Form 47. Hammad asserted that government’s high-handed tactics cannot dampen the morale of PTI workers, he stated.
He said that PTI and entire nation is united under the leadership of founder chairman Imran Khan. PTI along with its allied parties is going to hold rallies across Punjab. He hoped that people of Punjab will participate fully in these political gatherings. The message of the founding chairman will also be conveyed to the public through meetings, he informed.