LAHORE: The personnel of Punjab Police and law enforcement agencies arrested 55 workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from a party convention in Kahna area of the metropolis on Sunday, despite prior permission granted by the district administration.
According to the party leaders, the authorities entered the site forcefully and raided the office of the PTI leader responsible for organising the event.
During this operation, the police reportedly damaged office property by breaking windows and tore down PTI banners and posters.
لاہور پی ٹی آئی ورکرز کنوشن: پولیس موبائلز اور قیدی وینز جلسہ گاہ پہنچ گئیں
ایک طرف سزا یافتہ اشتہاری مجرم کو سیلوٹ اور مکمل سہولت کاری کی جا رہی ہے اور دوسری جماعت کو کارنر میٹنگ کا حق بھی حاصل نہیں۔ #قومی_مجرم_نواز_بھگوڑا
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 22, 2023
The district administration had initially declined permission to the PTI for holding the rally in constituency NA-123 Kahna, prompting the political party to seek legal recourse and approach the Lahore High Court.
The court ruled that if PTI were not permitted to hold their gathering, then no one should be allowed to do so.
PTI supporters and officials have decried the police’s actions, claiming that they had followed the proper procedures and obtained the necessary permissions from the district administration.
Separately, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, police suddenly intensified its crackdown against PTI leaders across the province with the homes of former provincial ministers Kamran Bangash and Anwar Zaib Khan being raided in Peshawar and Bajaur on Friday and both politicians being arrested.
Similarly, the residences of former MPA Fazal Ilahi and Taimur Saleem Jhagra as well as PTI District President Arbab Sher Ali were also raided but they managed to evade arrest.
The Chamkani Police registered an FIR against Bangash, stating that he had sheltered former federal minister Murad Saeed due to which the police raided his home but his armed guards opened fire at them, injuring two policemen.
