Disposed of: PTI withdraws plea on arrests, blockades

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has disposed of as withdrawn a petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf against the arrest of workers and blockage of roads by the government. During the hearing, the Punjab government law officer said 847 workers of the PTI were detained all over the province with 147 workers arrested in Lahore alone. He added that 86 cases were lodged against the PTI workers and 293 people were arrested in these cases. When the court asked the law officer about the blockade of roads, he replied all barricades and containers had been removed from all roads. The attorney general said that roads were not blocked owing to the court order. Advocate General Punjab Shakilur Rehman said all those people who were detained and taken into custody would be released today. He said the people who were arrested in violation of Section 144 should approach the courts. After the PTI withdrew the petition, the LHC full bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar disposed it of.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 3^rd, 2016.