LAHORE: The City Police on Saturday claimed to have forced PTI leader and Azad Kashmir Assembly member Maqbool Gujjar out of the remit of Punjab’s capital due to a ban imposed on him due to the by-polls in Punjab.
It is to be noted that earlier, AJK Minister Maqbool Gujjar escaped police custody when they arrested him for entering Lahore early Saturday.
Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) Operations Sohail Chaudhry informed journalists that the AJK lawmaker was in Lahore despite a ban being imposed on him due to the by-polls being held on Sunday (tomorrow).
The Punjab government has barred PTI leaders including Ali Amin Gandapur and Gujjar from entering the province on a concern that they might cause unrest during by-elections.
According to the government’s notice, PTI leaders are being barred from entering Punjab from July 15 to July 18.
Earlier in the day, Maqbool Gujjar and Police SHO Atif got into a spat, when the police tried to arrest the minister. “I am an Azad Kashmir minister, and I will not back down,” Gujjar told SHO Atif. The SHO instructed Gujjar to come with the police to the police station and stated that “we will discuss the rest there”.
The sources said that the minister escaped police custody by sitting in a car and driving away from the scene.
‘Nefarious intentions’
PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar said that Gujjar and Gandapur trying to enter Punjab despite legally being barred reflect their “nefarious intentions”.
“The PTI leaders trying to enter Punjab have revealed their bad intentions,” said Tarar, adding that it was feared that armed groups from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would enter Punjab.
“Their intention was to spread violence during the by-elections. No one carrying arms will be allowed to enter the province under any circumstances,” he added.
The PML-N leader said that it is the Punjab government’s responsibility to maintain the law and order situation during the elections. “Punjab Police, Rangers, and law enforcement agencies will strictly stop those trying to disrupt peace,” he added.
Buzdar seeks SC’s intervention
Former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar reacted to the ban on PTI’s Gujjar and Gandapur, saying that “no province can close its borders on the citizens belonging to different regions”.
He said that the Supreme Court should take immediate action against this “violation” of the Constitution. “The government has turned a blind eye to this whole situation,” added Buzdar.
“Hate against people based on language is growing in the country once again,” said the ex-CM Punjab.
