LAHORE/ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – There was extensive police movement in Lahore on Sunday morning in a bid to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest in the country being organised on the call of jailed leader Imran Khan.
Several police buses loaded with personnel, equipped with canes, along with prison vans left District Police Line on the Empress Road here. The personnel will reinforce deployment on various exit points of Lahore to prevent PTI workers leave the city for Islamabad to join rallies sit-in at D Chowk of the capital.
The extra police force will reportedly be deployed at Batti Chowk on the GT Road which has already been closed to prevent PTI workers from leaving for Islamabad.
Police were also seen standing at various places with canes in their hands in an apparent attempt to keep the city calm.
There was scant traffic on the roads early morning. However, public transport – SpeedO and Orange Line train – continued to ply. But, Metro bus service has been suspended since Saturday.
ISLAMABAD
Meanwhile, Islamabad police conducted a search and combing operation and raided several guesthouses and hostels in the federal capital and took into custody more than 300 people on suspicion of coeenction with the PTI.
According to police sources, 70 PTI workers were arrested from the limits of the Karachi Police Station Company. Sixty PTI workers were nabbed from the Kohsar Police Station area, 20 from Bara Kahu Police Station limits and 25 from Ramna Police Station.
Sources said during the combing operation, 35 workers were arrested from the Loi Bher Police Station area, 45 from Sangjani and 42 from the Tarnol Police Station area.
Quoting capital police, sources said that a list of more than 1,500 PTI workers and leaders residing in Islamabad has been prepared to arrest them so that they could not participate in the party’s protest.
PESHAWAR
According to the reported plan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur will lead a convoy from Peshawar to Swabi from where it will set off towards Islamabad at 11 am.
According to the Chief Minister’s spokesperson, the convoy from Peshawar will reach Islamabad come what may and stage a protest sit-in at D Chowk.
He said that the convoy would not use state machinery to open roads leading to the federal capital.
PTI leader Shandana Gulzar, in the meantime, said that whether it would take 12 hours or 100 hours, the workers would reach D Chowk at any cost.
She said the party workers would stage sit-in protest wherever they found no way.
AZAD KASHMIR
Police arrested dozens of PTI workers and leaders in an overnight crackdown in various cities of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the PTI sources, police have arrested 26 PTI workers and leaders in Muzaffarabad district. They included Khawaja Atif Bashir who is chairman of the Imran Khan Release Committee, councillors Hamid Jamil, Mazhar Awan, Sardar Mazharullah, Tariq Dar.
Police also raided the residence of Leader of the Opposition in AJK Assembly Khawaja Farooq Ahmed in Lower Plate but he could not be arrested as he was not there. Police also raided the residence of retired Justice Sardar Habib Zia in Shaukat Lines to arrest his elder brother, PTI regional president and former Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi. But, he was out of Muzaffarabad.
In Jhelum Valley district, police arrested at least 40 PTI workers. Police also raided regional party president Zeeshan Haider Kazmi’s house in Chinari on Friday night and harassed and misbehaved with his family.
According to Kazmi, most of the PTI workers had quietly crossed into Garhi Habibullah in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for their onward journey to Islamabad.
Also read: Showdown looms in capital as PTI, govt stick to their guns
Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) and the government are stick to their guns, with the former is adamant to hold a protest rally in capital for the release of its founder and the latter is determined what it claims to ensure life and property of citizens in the light of Islamabad High Court’s decision against holding the rally.