PTI releases ‘Jail Bharo’ drive details

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has warned that if the election schedule is not announced immediately, it will launch the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ while releasing its details.

The PTI chief reviewed the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ in a meeting with the movement's focal person Senator Ijaz Chaudhry.

The party finalised that arrests would be given in phases after the PTI chairman announced a launching date for the movement.

On the first day of the movement, 200 workers and five leaders from Lahore and on the second day, 200 party workers and five leaders from Peshawar would take part in the movement.

Daily, the party leaders and workers from a city would present themselves for arrest. At least, 3,000 workers from major cities of Pakistan will take part in the movement.

Imran directed Ijaz to collect data from all provincial and division presidents. The senator told the party chief that he would personally review the preparations for the movement in all the provinces and soon submit a report.

A separate meeting chaired by its chief Imran Khan was held to discuss the Punjab Assembly elections following the indecision between the ECP and provincial governor over announcing a date for the polls.

PTI leaders Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Farrukh Habib, Mussarat Jamshed Cheema, Hammad Azhar and others were in attendance.

The PTI awarded Azhar, the central Punjab general secretary and former federal minister, a party ticket for the by-election in NA-126 Lahore, the same constituency which he bagged in 2018 elections.

In the meeting, legal matters were pondered upon while the option of the constitutional role of President Arif Alvi also came under discussion.

The former prime minister said that the announcement for the date of the elections was being delayed intentionally while the Election Commission of Pakistan and Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman were violating the Constitution.

Addressing a news conference along with Fawad and Azhar on Tuesday, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar reiterated that an election date for the Punjab Assembly be given immediately, otherwise they would launch ‘Jail Bharo’ movement.

“We will take all possible steps to defend the Constitution.”

Umar said four days had passed since the Lahore High Court gave a decision on the Punjab Assembly elections. “The court gave a clear order that the elections should be held within 90 days and the Constitution also clearly states it. The court also ordered the ECP to give a date for the elections immediately after consulting the Punjab governor,” he added.

Fawad accused PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz of starting a campaign against the judiciary on social media. “It is noted that the social media handles involved in praising the ECP are also seen ridiculing the superior courts. It seems that Maryam Nawaz is leading this campaign,” he alleged.

Azhar condemned the government for taking action against former federal finance minister Shaukat Tarin. “What is his crime? He is being blamed for the economic mess made by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and former federal finance minister Miftah Ismail.”