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[šŸ‡µšŸ‡°] PTI March Coverage 2024

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Interior minister reports 564 arrests during PTI protests in Islamabad​

Mohsin Naqvi vows no leniency would be shown to protesters attacking police

News Desk
October 05, 2024

interior minister mohsin naqvi addressing a press conference photo app


Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi addressing a press conference. PHOTO: APP

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that 564 individuals have been arrested during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests, including 11 plainclothes personnel from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police, as reported by Express News on Saturday.
 

Protesting PTI workers reach Minar-i-Pakistan

Mansoor Malik
October 6, 2024

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers defied the Punjab governmentā€™s protective measures on Saturday, enduring heavy tear gas and baton charges to gather at Minar-i-Pakistan in a show of strength.

The demonstrators, chanting slogans, had responded to a call from party founder Imran Khan, assembling to celebrate his birthday and pass the ā€œHaqeeqi Azadiā€ (Real Freedom) resolution at the historic site where the Pakistan Resolution was passed in 1940.

Despite the imposition of Section 144 in Lahore and four other cities, banning all political gatherings, PTI supporters turned out in large numbers. The government had also deployed Rangers in Lahore, setting up roadblocks with containers and putting police and paramilitary forces on high alert.

The Punjab government, acting on the recommendations of the Standing Committee of Cabinet on Law and Order, had also requested army troops to maintain order. However, the Home Department clarified that these deployments were primarily for the security of heads of state attending the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad. ā€œThe army troops will be deployed as per requirement in Rawalpindi and Attock,ā€ a Home Department spokesperson said.

Hammad Azhar says partyā€™s second-tier leadership to take charge if need be
 
In response to the heavy security measures, the PTI leadership earlier announced that there was a surprise in store. On Saturday, PTI workers across Lahore and neighbouring districts waited until the evening before launching a coordinated march towards Minar-i-Pakistan.

As they moved through the city, they faced intense tear gas and baton charges from the police, with some protesters retaliating. However, the demonstrators continued their march, shouting slogans such as ā€œLe ke rahein gay Azadiā€ (We will take freedom), ā€œImran teray jaanisar, beshumaarā€ (Imran, your devotees are countless), and ā€œImran Khan Zindabadā€ (Long live Imran Khan).

PTIā€™s Lahore General Secretary Awais Younas, one of the organisers, declared, ā€œYour tear gas will run out, but our passion to reach Minar-i-Pakistan will not subside.ā€ Mr Younas was later arrested by a police officer.

Several PTI leaders, including Lahore MPA Ahmer Rasheed Bhatti, ticket-holders Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar and Malik Nadeem Bara, were detained at the protest venue. The opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, was also arrested, and his whereabouts remained unknown until late in the night.

Many party workers, affected by tear gas, were seen washing their eyes with water as they reached the Minar-i-Pakistan ground. The widespread use of tear gas also impacted residents, with women and children in nearby homes suffering from its effects as police continued to fire into densely populated areas.

Earlier in the day, PTI lawyers and workers briefly appeared at the GPO Chowk and outside Aiwan-i-Adal before being rounded up by the police. However, as evening approached, people came out from several areas in droves and defied all restrictions, removed barricades and marched towards the protest venue. By 10pm, PTI workers and supporters continued to gather at Minar-i-Pakistan.

Mr Khan had issued a ā€œDo or Dieā€ order, instructing PTI supporters who could not make it to Lahore to stage protests in their own cities. Late in the night, caravans of PTI workers from cities surrounding Lahore had also arrived at the Minar-i-Pakistan ground.

PTI Punjabā€™s Acting President Hammad Azhar later announced that the partyā€™s political committee had decided to continue the protests. ā€œIn the event of further arrests, the second-tier leadership will take charge,ā€ he said.

Meanwhile, party leader Salman Akram Raja tweeted that the PTI decided not to stop protests against proposed constitutional amendments. ā€œThis protest will spread across Pakistan and every citizen will become its part,ā€ he added.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2024
 

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