Nation’s patience wearing thin, warns PTI

Leadership raises concerns about Imran's jail conditions as police launches fresh crackdown

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core committee on Friday raised concerns over the treatment of party chairman Imran Khan in his detention, alleging that he was being subjected to "constant revenge" and ill-treatment, warning that the nation’s patience was wearing thin.

The committee emphasised that the ongoing series of revenge against Imran was testing the patience of the nation and urged that justice be promptly delivered, requesting an immediate hearing for Imran Khan's bail application to prevent the public from being provoked into protesting.

The leaders further urged authorities to set a date for an immediate hearing of the former premier's bail application.

In a meeting chaired by Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the core committee strongly condemned the party chief’s arrest and the recent crackdown on PTI workers.

The PTI core committee expressed its dissatisfaction over the non-serious behaviour of the rulers regarding the health and safety of the PTI chief despite the fact multiple assassination attempts were made on him.

The leaders asserted that they could not risk the health and safety of Imran Khan under the pretext of imprisonment resulting from "a controversial and biased court verdict". They demanded that the party chief, as a former prime minister, should be provided with quality and safe food, along with a security guard, in accordance with rules and jail regulations.

The PTI core committee further urged the court to take immediate notice of the situation, allow food and water to be provided from home and order the immediate transfer of Imran Khan from Attock to Adiala Jail.

Fresh crackdown

In a parallel development, a fresh crackdown was launched against PTI workers in Punjab on Friday. Police sources revealed that an extensive list of 4,082 individuals has been compiled, with 1,082 listed as suspects from Lahore alone.

A strategy, incorporating targeted raids and advanced technological tools, has been devised to apprehend these suspects within their respective residences.

The authorities asserted that not only those directly responsible for the incidents will face legal action but also individuals found to have provided support or aid to the accused will be held accountable under the law.

Reports suggested that the decision to crack down was prompted by PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi's statement, expressing the party's desire to celebrate Independence Day with enthusiasm and zeal.

The party intended to submit applications to deputy commissioners seeking permission for Independence Day gatherings.

In light of this, police officers have been instructed to ensure that PTI party flags are not displayed anywhere.

While police authorities maintain that the crackdown is a renewed effort to bring the culprits responsible for the May 9 and March 14 incidents to justice, the PTI contests these claims by asserting that the crackdown is an attempt to prevent party workers from waving party flags on Independence Day.