ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday held protests across the country against poll rigging.
Trenches were dug opposite to the National Press Club in Islamabad ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest against alleged rigging in general elections on Saturday, the party has claimed.
“Just a reminder, he who digs a pit for others falls in himself. Soon we will see all the oppressors, puppets falling into that pit. InshAllah,” the party’s Islamabad chapter said in a post on X.
The PTI has announced the locations in Punjab for its protest against alleged rigging in the general elections.
The site outside the press club is one of the locations where it would be holding a protest against alleged rigging in the Feb 8 polls.
The PTI said the protests would be held at F9 Park in the Rawalpindi district, outside the ECP office in Jhelum, outside the press club in Chakwal and at Attock’s Fawara Chowk.
Other locations include the district commissioner’s office in Khushab, Sargodha’s Qainchi Mor, Mianwali’s Rokhri Mor and Zame Wala Tehsil in Bhakkar.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad police in a statement said that public gathering was banned in the federal capital as Section 144 of the CrPC was in force in the city.
“The security is on high alert,” it said
Without mentioning the protests, police said that there could be increased traffic near the F9 park and urged the public to avoid “unnecessary travel” on the nearby routes.
Special forces of the Counter Terrorism Department had been deployed on patrol to deal with any emergency.
“Patrolling has been increased across the district while checking has been tightened at checkpoints,” it added.
On Friday, PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that his party does not accept the February 8 polls and called for countrywide protests.
In Lahore, the police arrested and then released PTI leader Salman Akram Raja. A rally was taken out from F-9 Park Islamabad. PTI workers also protested at Ghantaghar (clock tower) Chowk in Faisalabad.
In federal capital, PTI workers gathered in the park in front of National Press Club Islamabad. Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Shehryar Riaz and others also participated.
Protestors raised slogans while capital police did not arrest anyone during the protest. It is noted that the police sent back the van and water cannon. However, Safe City and CCTV cameras monitored the protest.
In Karachi, PTI workers protested outside the Election Commission office, slogans were raised against the ECP.
In Gujranwala, PTI protested in different areas against the rigging. Roads were blocked due to the protest.
In Arifwala and Chiniot PTI workers raised the party flag and protested against the Election Commission and the caretaker government.
A protest rally was held in Sialkot under the leadership of NA-71 candidate Rehana Dar who lost the election. Rehana Dar said that Commissioner Rawalpindi spoke the truth.
In Peshawar, PTI held a protest. Different leaders participated in the meeting.
A protest demonstration was also held in front of the Quetta Press Club against the alleged rigging of the elections by the PTI. Workers raised slogans against ECP.
The PTI workers protested in front of the Swat Press Club against the alleged election rigging. MPA Akhtar Khan on the occasion said that they won 180 seats in the National Assembly.
A protest was held at Dir Bala against election rigging, and a protest was held at Farid Gate Chowk in Bahawalpur, where a heavy police force was also present. PTI workers protested at MA Jinnah Road in Okara.
In Hyderabad, the PTI protested outside the press club. MQM London workers also raised slogans in the protest while police detained two workers.
Uproar over arrest of Salman Akram Raja
Pakistan-Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) leader and senior supreme court lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, was briefly arrested in Lahore on Saturday while staging a protest against alleged poll rigging.
When being whisked away by the police, Raja was heard saying to reporters, “They are arresting me unlawfully. I am with the public and we will continue to raise my voice for the truth.”
He was released a few hours later.
In the aftermath of the arrest, and prior to his eventual release, the PTI termed the act “extremely shameful and disgusting”.
The party also shared a video on its official X account of the Punjab police taking the lawyer into custody.
Following the development, Taimur Saleem Khan Jhagra, another PTI leader, deemed the arrest “shameful”, adding that “these are now desperate attempts to hide the falsification of results”.
Historian and politician, Ammar Ali Jan, termed the arrest as “bankruptcy” of the “deep state”.
Former Senator, Afrasiab Khattak, condemned the arrest of the senior PTI leader, adding that “peaceful protest against rigging is a fundamental right of every citizen. Such actions can’t silence the people’s protest”.
Political analyst Mosharraf Zaidi questioned the grounds of the arrest, asking why an advocate of the Constitution and democracy was “needlessly dragged to a police van”.
Public policy researcher and politician, Ammar Rashid, called it “calculated madness” which seemed like a push for violence and overt intervention.
Journalist Atika Rehman called the arrest as well as scuffles with female protestors “ridiculous and badly handled”.
Barrister Khadija Siddiqi condemned the “abhorrent and fascist tactics against political workers” and demanded Raja’s immediate release.
PTI lawyer Mashal Yousafzai said the police’s conduct was “shameful”, and urged the chief justice to take notice.
Barrister Asad Rahim Khan recalled Raja’s legal services, and called for everyone to “raise your voice now”.
Barrister Ayesha Munir also wondered why Raja was arrested for merely “protesting against rigging”.
