Police present arrested rally participants in courts

PML-N leader submits resolution in PA condemning cases against political workers

LAHORE: Police from different police stations of Punjab’s provincial capital on Friday presented before judicial magistrates dozens of political workers rounded up during the opposition parties’ protest on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the July 25, 2018 general election.

Opposition parties particularly Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) observed as black day the first anniversary of last year’s general election which they claim were systematically rigged in favour of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

They held rallies on Thursday across the country and in Lahore the opposition’s rally was held primarily at the city’s Mall Road. However, the PTI-led provincial government arrested dozens of political workers belonging to the PML-N and these activists were presented before court on Friday.

The police officials not only registered cases against rally participants but also those who were found transporting  banners and posters from one place to another and in some cases even painters who wrote banners for the rally.

On Friday, Lahore’s Race Course police presented before a magisterial court around 30 accused tied to each other with ropes. Counsels for the accused contended that police arrested their clients on fake charges.

They said people who had been nominated in the FIRs had nothing to do with the charges levelled against them. Police did this merely to show their efficiency, they said. The lawyers contended that innocent people had been thrown in police lockups which is against the norms of freedom of expression.

Muhammad Nadeem, a painter, said he was just taking some banners inscribed with announcement for the July 25 black day when Qilagujar Singh police arrested him and registered a case against him.

Resolution

A PML-N lawmaker submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly secretariat condemning arrests of political workers and participants of opposition rallies.

MPA Malik Zaheer Iqbal contended that the participants marked the black day across Pakistan in a peaceful manner but police arrested political workers, which is highly regrettable.

“It is shameful that government got registered FIRs against the National Assembly Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, the PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira and over 2,000 workers.”