The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is once again set to take to the streets with senior leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser saying that the party’s protest movement’s second phase would be held on August 14 — the country’s independence day.
“The second phase of our protest will be on August 14, then we will go to Sindh,” Qaiser said in Swabi late Tuesday night as the party took to the streets to mark the second anniversary of party founder Imran Khan’s incarceration and demand his release.
A day earlier, police arrested more than 240 opposition party activists, with at least 122 arrested trying to block roads and threatening law and order in Lahore, said Deputy Inspector General of police Faisal Kamran.
The remainder were picked up in overnight raids in the province, two security officials said. Party spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said over 200 activists were detained in Lahore alone.
At least seven members of the Punjab Assembly were also arrested in Lahore, AFP reported, quoting Zulfikar Bukhari.
The police, however, released the PTI lawmakers in the evening.
In a statement, the Punjab police said that Deputy Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Moeen Riaz Qureshi, MPs Farrukh Javed Moon, Khawaja Salahuddin, Shoaib Amir, Amanullah Khan, and Iqbal Khattak, had been released.
Rehana Dar, who was among those detained from outside Aiwan-e-Adal, was released, the PTI central media cell confirmed.
The arrests came as the authorities had beefed up security imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) — barring illegal gatherings and large assemblies.
Section 144 was imposed in Islamabad as well as Rawalpindi — which also houses Adiala Jail where the PTI founder is incarcerated.
Qasier, while expanding on the PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s situation, said that Khan had explicitly directed Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur against any military operation in the province.
“We will not allow military operations in our province,” the politician said, adding that they would approach international courts.
“PTI founder was given various offers in jail. He was offered to to go to Bani Gala, Nathia Gali and out of the country [as well],” he remarked.
Meanwhile, speaking during a protest rally in Peshawar, CM Gandapur said that people had answered the PTI founder’s call and that “now this protest will be held on a daily basis”.
“The party leadership’s plan of action regarding August 13 and 14 will be announced later,” Gandapur said.
“We want the supremacy of the Constitution and law in the country and PTI founder to be released [from prison],” he remarked.
However, the chief minister’s rally came to a rather abrubpt end after he left without addressing the party workers — prompting them to protest against their own CM.
