Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Jail Bharo’ movement is set to enter its third day in Rawalpindi, with activists awaiting judicial arrest on party charges.
Today, 6 Members of National Assembly (MNA) and 14 Members of Provincial Assembly (MPA) will appear for arrest.
Majlis Wahdat Muslimeen (MWM) chief Allama Raja Nasir will also present himself for arrest in the “Jail Bharo” movement.
A heavy contingent of police along with women officers reached Rawalpindi’s Committee Chowk.
Several PTI activists and leader Tariq Samuel presented themselves in court for arrest and the prisoners boarded the van as they forced open its door.
Meanwhile, the government has completed preparations at Adiala Jail for the expected detainees.
The first two days of the campaign heated up the political atmosphere in Lahore and Peshawar, with the arrests of senior PTI leaders including Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Umar Sarfraz Cheema and Azam Swati from Lahore.
On the second day of the movement, former Defense Minister Pervez Khattak along with a convoy of party workers and leaders, including Shah Farman and Asad Qaiser; Peshawar arrived outside the Central Jail but the police did not arrest him.
Transfer to different jails
After the arrests in Lahore, PTI leaders and activists were transferred to different jails and cases were registered against some activists under terrorism and vandalism provisions.
MPO 3 on PTI leaders
The Lahore Police has registered a case against the PTI activists under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) which states that “If the Government is satisfied that any person shall be arrested in the interest of public safety or public order, to prevent the doing of any act prejudicial to, it is necessary to do so, may, by order in writing, direct the arrest and detention, the arrest and detention of suspected persons; Authority of.”
According to this, the district administration of Lahore sent a list of 77 people, who can now be detained for three months.
Later on Thursday, the Punjab Home Department issued a notification for the 30-day imprisonment of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The notification was issued on the recommendation of Deputy Commissioner Lahore.
Qureshi seeks bail
Following this notification, Qureshi’s son approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking the release of his father and other PTI leaders.
The court remarked that the party workers themselves boarded the jail van. “Why are they burdening the court and demanding release from jail,” he said.
The court asked the concerned authorities to prepare and submit a report on the issue of arrests at the next hearing.
