The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on Friday formed a venue committee in connection with the party’s March 25 (Saturday) rally at Minar-e-Pakistan amid police raids being conducted at the workers and leaders residences. According to a notification issued in this regard, PTI leader Shabbir Siyal has been appointed as the coordinator, Fawad Rasool Buhlar and Wing Commander Khawaja Kamran deputy coordinators while 10 party workers as members. In a statement, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry slammed the “arrest and abduction” of “about 750 leaders and workers, including Azhar Mashwani and Shahid Hussain”.
The Punjab police continued conducting raids in different areas of the province to arrest the PTI leaders and workers ahead of the March 25 rally at Minar-e-Pakistan. Police raided the residence of PTI leaders Hammad Khan Niazi and Bajash Khan Niazi in the Manawan area. The police could not arrest the two leaders as they were not present at home at the time of the raid. However, as Hammad was not present at home, the police arrested his brother and took him away. Hammad vowed that the March 25 rally in Lahore will be a historical one. “We will not be intimidated by such measures [raids by polce].”
He told media persons that they would stand by PTI Chairman Imran Khan till their last breath. Bajash Niazi said, “Because of the rally, raids are being conducted at our houses.” Further, the police conducted a raid at the house of another PTI leader Mian Naeem late Thursday night at Etihad Colony, Samnabad. The police arrested his guest named Alfat. Four police vehicles and dozens of police personnel violated the privacy of Naeem’s house. Naeem was not present at the house at the time of the police raid. Four days ago, he said, the police raided his house with heavy force and arrested his guards. Separately, the police raided the homes of PTI UC-91 Vice Chairman Sajjad Durrani and Councilor Basharat Ali’s in the Sumanabad area.
The two leaders were not present at the house and therefore evaded arrests. The police also raided the residence of PTI leader Malik Waqar Ahmed Gujjar. The police failed to arrest him as he was not present at his home. Gujjar told media persons that the “police bullying” could not discourage them. “Imran Khan is the future of this country. The [incumbent] government will remain ineffective in their nefarious designs.” The police also raided the house of PTI member Kashmir Legislative Assembly Ghulam Mohiuddin Dewan. As Dewan was not present at home, the police took the employees with them. The police conducted a raid at the residence of PTI’s PP-145 candidate Malik Mubasher Lal in the Samnabad area. Police failed to arrest him as he was not present at home. “We are not be afraid of police bullying. The government has become a victim of cowardice,” Lal said, accuding the police of breaking the walls of his house and stealing valuables in the name of arrest.
“Imran Khan is the future of this country. We will support him till the last drop of our blood,” Lal vowed. Lal said that come what may, he would attend the meeting along with his family members. “The police have arrested my relatives as well as my children. Still we will participate in the rally.”
.jpg)