Contrary to govt claims: PTI claims hundreds of workers still behind bars

IG prisons says those arrested for violating Section 144 not released yet

LAHORE: While the PTI commemorated Youm-e-Tashakkur on Wednesday in Islamabad, the party leadership in Lahore alleged hundreds of its workers were still behind bars in Punjab despite the government claiming the contrary.

The party leaders, however, failed to give an exact number owing to lack of coordination among different wings within the party.

The home department had earlier lifted imposition of Section 144, claiming to have released all the workers of PTI detained throughout Punjab. The workers were arrested to stop them from joining the Islamabad lockdown, which was called off at the 11th hour.

Punjab Home Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman issued a circular that was sent to all the district coordination officers and prison authorities.



Government officials said they had detained 847 workers of PTI and other opposition parties throughout Punjab with 147 detained in Lahore along. Police registered 86 cases against 293 workers arrested for violating Section 144.

Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mehmoodur Rasheed said the home secretary had assured him of releasing all the detained party workers.

In and out

Punjab Prisons chief Farooq Nazir told The Express Tribune they have released all the PTI workers detained under Maintenance of Public Order. The law allows detention of those who disseminate rumours.

About 150 PTI workers against whom cases were registered under charges of violation of Section 144 were still in prison. They will have to obtain bail orders from the court for their release as per the law, he added.

Meanwhile, party sources said that with the absence of party’s leadership in Lahore there has been a failure to compute figures regarding detained workers as well as those who have been released. PTI Lahore (Urban) President Walid Iqbal, who himself was detained for a short while in Islamabad on Tuesday, was pursuing the case in Lahore High Court regarding the arrest of PTI workers.

Out of the PTI workers who were part of the on-foot caravan, 17 were released on Wednesday evening. The 25-member caravan was arrested by the police last week in Jhelum. During the police raid, the PTI leaders had managed to get away, but 21 workers were caught by the police. Four of those arrested were released on Tuesday.

Ishtiaq Malik, one of the participants of the caravan, claimed the workers were harassed during their time in prison. While speaking to The Express Tribune, Malik, who was released on Wednesday, said the workers were denied basic amenities including food and toilet during detention.

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