PTI stages protests, defying crackdown

LAHORE/KARACHI:

Despite a crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, leaders and supporters aimed at preventing nationwide protests, demonstrations still took place in different cities after Friday prayers.

The protest was in response to the leadership's call against proposed constitutional amendments and imprisonment of founding chairman Imran Khan.

All major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, witnessed a showdown between PTI workers and police as the former were determined to hold demonstrations while the latter were resolute in their efforts to foil the bid.

In Karachi, hundreds of citizens, including lawyers, women, and people from various walks of life, gathered at the iconic Empress Market in Saddar under the leadership of PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh.

However, police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the protesters and arrested more than 20 PTI leaders, including MPA Rehan Bandokda, PTI Karachi Minority Wing President Suleman Kanwal, and Youth Leader Meraj Shah.

In Lahore, the protesters assembled at GPO Chowk to hold protests as the venue was changed at the eleventh hour by Hammad Azhar, interim president of PTI Punjab. The party was forced to change the rally venue as heavy contingents of police had reached the Liberty Chowk along with prison vans.

In Rawalpindi, the protesters gathered at Community Chowk and Chandni Chowk despite the roads leading to the protest sites being sealed off.

Following days of demonstrations against an alleged rape incident that spread across Punjab and PTI's call to protest against Imran Khan's imprisonment and proposed constitutional amendment, Lahore police conducted a citywide crackdown, arresting over 350 PTI workers.

The arrests were made in a series of raids across various parts of Lahore, including Iqbal Town, Johar Town, Kot Lakhpat, Defence, and Northern and Southern Cantonments.

Police were targeting individuals who were allegedly involved in inciting public protests. It followed the release of a list by Lahore Police identifying over 1,600 active PTI members, many of whom were reportedly leading or participating in the demonstrations.

Police operations in various localities, including Johar Town, Shalimar, Achhra, and Garhi Shahu, were carried out by specialised teams from Operations, Investigations and Organised Crime Units (OCU). According to police reports, the raids were planned based on intelligence reports and aimed to prevent further escalation of unrest.

In addition to the crackdown on PTI workers, the Punjab Home Department established a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to investigate the circulation of misinformation regarding the alleged rape in Lahore.

In light of the growing unrest, all public and private educational institutions remained closed. Exams scheduled were also postponed as protests continued to escalate.

To quell the demonstrations, Section 144 was imposed in various districts to prevent further gatherings.

Law enforcement agencies remained on high alert on Friday, with further arrests expected as part of the ongoing crackdown. The JIT's findings will be crucial in determining the legal actions against those spreading misinformation and participating in the protests.