Police raid PTI leaders' homes ahead of Islamabad long march

Two days after the arrest and subsequent release of former human rights minister Shireen Mazari, in a domino effect police raided a number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders' homes at midnight on Tuesday.

The police raided former finance minister Hammad Azhar's home in Lahore in an apparent attempt to arrest him. Recounting the raid, the PTI leader's mother described how the loud havoc scared her as the police force stormed into her house.

Azhar's guard also explained how the lawenforcers allegedly attacked him and insulted his father, a martyred soldier.

PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid filmed the raid from outside Azhar's residence.

Azhar was not the only PTI leader who faced police force and breach of privacy, the police were stationed outside former interior minister Sheikh Rashid's house earlier on Monday.

After a multitude of police barrelled into Hammad Azhar's residence, the lawenforcers also entered former special assistant to the prime minister Usman Dar's home.

Similar to Azhar, Usman Dar was also not at home so the police were unable to arrest him. Speculations on these attempted arrests have surfaced with many considering the possibility that these are linked to former prime minister Imran Khan's Islamabad long march which will take place on Wednesday (May 25).

After the attempted arrest Azhar tweeted a defiant, "stop us if you can".

Taking to the microblogging site, the PTI chairman warned the incumbent government that 'these fascist steps will further exacerbate the economic situation and push the country into anarchy.

Imran reinforced the right to peaceful protests in a democratic country and condemned the 'brutal crackdown' imposed by those in power.