Fearing arrests, PTI leaders spend Eid in hiding

This year's Eidul Azha proved to be difficult for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activists, former members of the Parliament, all ticket holders and their family members who remained in hiding on the festive occasion.

Sources said fearing arrests by the police and other law-enforcement agencies, no active party leaders, former members of the National or Provincial assemblies, ticket holders or members of their immediate families visited the mosques to offer Eid prayers.

Both plainclothesmen and uniformed personnel looked forward to Eid congregations arresting the PTI leaders, nominated in different cases following the May 9 incidents, from outside mosques on Eid day. Their strategy however met with failure as no prominent PTI leader turned up to the mosques to offer Eid prayers.

According to sources, the PTI activists performed Eid prayers at undisclosed locations. Former federal interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who has been offering Eid prayers at Liaquat Bagh for the last 50 years, remained absent.

The sources said a special branch squad was present to arrest him outside Liaquat Bagh but it failed to apprehend the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief. His nephew and former MNA, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, also did not attend Eid prayers at Liaquat Bagh.

On the occasion of Eid, Rashid’s non-political younger nephew Sheikh Shakir remained present at Lal Haveli – the residence of the former federal interior minister – and sacrificed two camels and two goats on his uncle’s behalf.

Following the sacrifice, he distributed the camel and goat meat among the party workers while citizens continued to arrive throughout the day at Lal Haveli to greet their party leader on Eid.

Rashid received Eid greetings from the party workers multiple times through a video link and also addressed and talked to them.

Similarly, PTI’s former law minister Basharat Raja, former deputy speaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, former minister Raja Rashid Hafeez, former assembly members Tanveer Butt, Haji Amjad, Arif Abbasi, Sadaqat Abbasi, Major Latasub Sati, Ejaz Khan Jazi, Asif Mehmood, Colonel Ajmal Sabir, Javed Kausar, city president Mian Imran Hayat, secretary Raja Nasir Mahfooz and dozens of activists remained absent from their homes on the festive occasion.

So far, the police have carried out four to six raids on their residences, breaking home appliances worth billions of rupees, including glasses of their vehicles, LCDs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and showcases.

These leaders also did not offer Eid prayers in any mosque even though they sacrificed bulls, goats, and sheep.

They also remained online through video links and kept virtually interacting with their well-wishers visiting their homes on Eid day.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 2^nd, 2023.