In-focus

Jail-filling drive: PTI leaders including Fayaz Chauhan, Zulfi Bukhari court arrest

Jail-filling drive: PTI leaders including Fayaz Chauhan, Zulfi Bukhari court arrest

Pakistan

Fayaz Chauhan says he will not move court

RAWALPINDI (Dunya NEWS) – In an effort to fill the jails in their court arrest drive, 80 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders and workers including Fayazul Hassan, Zulfi Bukhari, Sadaqat Abbasi, Waheed Qasim and Ijaz Khan Jazi were arrested on Friday.

Fayazul Hassan reached Committee Chowk in the form of a rally and presented himself for arrest and he voluntarily sat in the police van. Mr Chauhan said neither he nor his family would seek the bail and 10 PTI workers also got themselves arrested with him.

After Mr Chauhan, Zulfi Bukhari and Sheikh Rashid reached Committee Chowk for arrest. However, only Mr Bukhari got detained while Mr Rashid went away in his car. 

Meanwhile, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen leader Allama Nasir Abbas also arrived to support the PTI in the court arrest drive.

Police sources said 90 peoiple sat in the three prisoner vans and 80 workers got themselves arrested in the jail-filling drive.

Earlier, as the Jail Bharo Movement (JBT) entered Rawalpindi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fayazul Hassan Chauhan and other activists flocked to the chowk on Friday to court arrest but police did not arrest anyone. 

Read More: Police book Zubair Niazi, Mian Ibad for attacking police mobile

Mr Chauhan said he sat in the prisoner van to honour PTI chief Imran Khan's call for the movement. "I shall neither appraoch court for bail nor will my familyl do so," he added. He would, he said, not appeal for the bail until Mr Khan directed so.

PTI activists were seen entering the prisoner van and posing pictures. 

The Jail Bharo Movement (JBT) incepted by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Feb 22 moved to Rawalpindi today (Friday) after shows in Lahore and Peshawar.

Sources said the PTI leaders and activists would court arrest at Committee Chowk and outside RA Bazaar police station. “The Rawalpindi police had decided against arresting those surrendering voluntarily and they will arrest only those disturbing peace,” sources added. The police, sources said, would not transfer the prisoners to Adiala jail as it was stuffed with prisoners exceeding its capacity.

Nine police vans and 20 buses have been put on standby but section 144 has not yet been imposed in the city.