Police crackdown on PTI turns bloody

Party supporter dies; workers prevented from taking out rally to mark start of election campaign

LAHORE:

In what appeared to be the repeat of May 25, 2022 crackdown in Islamabad, police used force on Wednesday to break up the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters in Lahore on Wednesday in which at least one person died, while dozens of others were injured.

The PTI said that the deceased, identified as Ali Bilal alias Zil-e-Shah, died of police torture. The police said two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), one station house officer (SHO) and eight constables were injured while maintaining the law and order.

The PTI had announced a rally from Zaman Park to Data Darbar to mark the launch of its election campaign. Initially it was stated that Imran would lead the rally. However, the district administration imposed a ban on public gatherings.

The violence began after police moved to the Zaman Park area, where the residence of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in located, to prevent the PTI workers from advancing towards Mall Road.

As the day started, the government announced imposition of Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), banning gatherings, rallies, sit-ins etc, citing security threats and public nuisance, for seven days in Lahore.

After the issuance of the notification, the Lahore police started arresting the PTI activists on Mall Road. The police also placed containers and barricades to block the activists’ movement.

The police presence in the area started increasing as they moved to block all the points leading to Zaman Park from all the sides. It was followed by the deployment of Anti-Riot Force (ARF), prison vans and water cannons.

On the other hand, the PTI workers, carrying clubs and sticks, moved to resist the police advance. Police then resorted to heavy tear gas shelling and baton charge, and used water cannons to disperse them.

Footage of the clashes, shared on social media by both sides, showed police resorting to use of force against the PTI workers. The police also rounded up a large number of protestors, while several vehicles on both sides were damaged.

In some clips, the PTI workers were also seen resorting to violence, such as damaging police vehicles and attacking policemen. Some others showed the policemen allegedly breaking windowpanes of the workers’ cars and hitting women.

The tense situation persisted until police dominated the surroundings of Zaman Park and the PTI workers changed their plans for the rally. The party said it would approach the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Section 144.

The PTI chief shared the news of the death of the party worker on social media platform. “Ali Bilal unarmed & our dedicated & passionate PTI worker murdered by Punjab police,” Imran wrote on Twitter.

“Shameful, this brutality on unarmed PTI workers who were coming to attend election rally. Pakistan is in the grip of murderous criminals. We will file cases against IG, CCPO & others for murder.”

The PTI said the deceased could be seen being arrested by police from Zaman Park and cops, including senior police officers, giving him a beating. However, a Punjab government spokesperson denied that Bilal died in police custody.

The spokesperson said that a private vehicle had dropped him at the Lahore Services Hospital, according to CCTV footage collected from Punjab Safe City Authority. The videos being shared by PTI were old and of during ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, he further said.

He continued that the police were searching for the car riders, who had dropped the victim at the hospital. “Post-mortem report, Safe City report, will help ascertain facts,” the spokesperson added.

Lahore Police Spokesperson Syed Mubashir Hassan said that “at least 11 policemen, including two DSPs and one SHO, were injured in PTI activists’ torture”. He added two policemen were severely injured and moved to the General Hospital in critical condition.

Meanwhile, police deployment to area increased in the post-crackdown scenario. Also, a police team from Baluchistan reached Lahore to serve arrest warrants on Imran in a case registered in Quetta for making speeches against state institutions.

Addressing the party worker via a video link, Imran and other party leaders termed the police action on a peaceful rally an attempt to sabotage peace and escape from the upcoming elections.

Imran asked the people to prepare for “snatching their freedom” from the “corrupt” rulers. “Today, murderers, thieves and money launderers have been imposed on the country,” he said, “They will be buried, whenever the elections are held,” he added.

Khan urged the Supreme Court and the legal fraternity to play their roles in upholding the Constitution and maintaining the rule of law in the country. He called for a campaign on the pattern of the 2007 lawyers’ movement for the restoration of then chief justice of Pakistan.

“History is being recorded and the people of Pakistan know everything as to how an elected government was toppled in connivance with the US-backed conspiracy,” the PTI chairman told the party supporters.

Imran condemned the use of force against women party workers on International Women’s Day. He underscored that everyone had to play its role for protecting democracy.

Earlier talking to the media outside Imran’s residence at Zaman Park, PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Hammad Azhar castigated the caretaker Punjab government for stopping the PTI election rally and condemned police action against the PTI workers.

“What kind of elections they want to hold without political activities,” he questioned, adding that “today’s action reflects the caretaker government’s bias and also proves that the coalition rulers are scared of the PTI chairman’s popularity”.

Azhar also condemned Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and those “dictating” him to end democracy by not allowing any political activity in the city. He accused Naqvi of taking action on someone else’s behalf.

He also alleged that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and the incumbent government wanted bloodshed in the city. However, he directed the party workers to remain peaceful, refrain from any violence.

In a separate media talk, PTI Central Information Secretary Farrukh Habib said that despite the announcement of the date and schedule for election, the PTI was prevented from campaigning.

“The imported government wants the country to bleed,” he said, adding that the coalition government was trying to create anarchy in the country to make grounds for postponing the elections. “However, we have asked our party workers to remain calm,” he added.

Moreover, PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid strongly condemned the caretaker government for using the police force against peaceful party workers who were subjected to violence.