(LIVE) Islamabad protests: Fired up Imran calls out govt for 'undemocratic' arrests

PTI chief says they will take Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif to task and make an example out of them.


Our Correspondents/web Desk September 10, 2014

As the talks between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and the government resumed, courtesy the Opposition’s Political Jirga, both protesting parties have shifted their sit-ins back to D-Chowk.

The move comes in the wake of news that the Chinese President had postponed his trip to Pakistan owing to the uncertainty in Islamabad.
As their protests enter the 28th day, leaders of both groups remain resolute in their demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS 

- The army have again refuted the notion that they are behind the protests.

- Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says the government will pay heed to constitutional and legal demands of PTI and PAT.

- PAT have called off negotiations with the government following arrest of a member of their negotiation team

- PTI too have broken off talks citing arrest of their DJ and other supporters

Read all our coverage of PTI’s Azadi March here and the Inqilab March here.

Updates of the Islamabad protests from September 9 and 10, 2014, can be found here.





September 13, 11:58pm

PAT president Raheeq Abbasi has arrived atop the PTI container near D-Chowk following instructions from Dr Tahirul Qadri.

Abbasi says the government thought they would hold the longest joint session in the history of Pakistan and call the protesters traitors, but all it showed was the parties in the assembly were united against the people who who had gathered outside the parliament against their governance.



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September 13, 10:16pm

Imran Khan says that they will eliminate the Urdu-medium, English-medium and madrassa systems and make one unified system.



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September 13, 10:10pm

After 15 years, I made one request in Shaukhat Khanum. One of the donors who wanted to treat his mother who was five years over the criteria age. But the hospital rejected my request.

He adds that he will take Mushtaq Sukhera and Dar Alam to task and make an example out of them. Further, they will make an example out of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif.

He adds that once in power, he will adopt a much simpler and leaner form of government.

First, he will bulldoze the governor house in Lahore. Then, he will turn his attention towards the governor house in Peshawar which will be made a park while the 'governor house' in Nathia Gali will be turned into a five-star hotel which will earn much needed revenue.

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September 13, 9:50pm

Imran again asks how did Nawaz Sharif come to own the Mayfair property, and how could his son live in a flat worth Rs800 million.

He adds that for transparency he has listed details of tax that he pays and the assets he owns on the party website for transparency. On the other hand, Imran claims Nawaz Sharif pays only Rs1.6 million tax in Pakistan, but Nawaz's family pays nearly Rs20 million in tax in the UK.

He reiterates that if any leader has his wealth stowed abroad, they will not care what happens in Pakistan.

Turning his attention towards his 'Naya Pakistan', he says they will emphasise on education and will focus on Allama Iqbal.

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September 13, 9:48pm

Imran Khan says Dr Aafia Siddiqui's maternal uncle came to meet him after she was abducted. Imran says he raised his voice for her but no one came to his side. But British journalist Yvonne Ridley came to his aid.

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September 13, 9:45pm

Imran Khan says he will hold Nawaz Sharif accountable. And once Nawaz Sharif is gone, he will take the IG Islamabad and IG Punjab to task for what the police under their command did to their supporters and for the Model Town incident.

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September 13, 9:35pm

Imran Khan says all those people present at the protest have proved that a new Pakistan is being formed.

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September 13, 9:25pm

Senator Rehman Malik, who is part of the opposition's political jirga joins the chorus of voices urging the prime minister to release PAT and PTI workers who have been detained by police.

He added that if he was in place of PAT leadership, he too would have boycotted talks.

Malik adds that their jirga had eased the way for talks between the three parties.

Meanwhile, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri told his supporters that if any policeman moved to arrest them or to attack them, they should break the legs of that police officer.

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September 13, 7:10pm

Addressing his supporters, a fiery Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan questions PM Nawaz if it is democratic to arrest young workers.

"Officials putting young people behind bars should be ashamed of themselves,” he says, adding, “It is our democratic right to protest peacefully."

“There is no room for negotiations any more,” Imran says angrily, reiterating, “We will not leave till the premier resigns.”

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s real face has been unveiled, he is a dictator and his rule is worse than General Pervez Musharraf’s rule,” Imran adds.

“We cannot rely on the police or judiciary anymore,” the PTI chief says.

He ended his brief address to his workers telling them he will address them again at 9:30pm.


Express News screengrab of PTI chief Imran Khan addressing his workers.

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September 13, 6:39pm

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Rehman Malik warns that clashes could erupt again, if political solution for the current crisis is not found.

“The opposition jirga will work on starting negotiations once again,” Malik says, while speaking to reporters in Karachi.

Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has urged the government to release workers of the PAT and the PTI, terming them 'innocent'.

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September 13, 5:28pm

Defending the arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has said they were held for attacking state property, and not for protesting.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, the interior minister said 20 people suspected of involvement in an attack on the Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters two weeks ago have been identified, of which seven have been arrested.

Read the full story here.


Express News screengrab of Chaudhry Nisar.

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September 13, 4:17pm

PTI leader Jehangir Tareen says their democratic right to protest is being violated by the government.

Tareen questions the judiciary if it is lawful of the police to arrest peaceful workers from their homes and roads while addressing the media in Islamabad.

“The government is hiding that four to eight people were killed during the clashes between police and protesters,” he alleges.

Further, warning IG Islamabad, Tareen says PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa president Azam Swati was detained and their workers are being mistreated.

“We have suspended all negotiations,” Tareen says, adding, “I have informed the opposition jirga of our decision as well.”

Read the full story here.


Express News screengrab of the press conference.

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September 13, 3:48pm

Former Test cricketer Abdul Qadir’s house was raided by police, as his daughter Fatima Qadir is the president of the PTI women’s wing, Express News reports.

The family had been made aware of a possible raid, after which they spent the night at a relatives’ house.

Police had been conducting these raids in an attempt to arrest PTI members.

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September 13, 3:44pm

PTI leader Jehangir Tareen mirrors Tahirul Qadri's views of not holding talks with the government till workers are released, Express News reports.

Tareen also added that the capital is being sealed off once again.

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September 13, 3:15pm

Addressing his supporters, PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri says 12 of his personal guards have been arrested.

“When they (guards) went home after their duty, they were picked up from the rooms of their rest house,” Qadri says, adding his guards have been charged for carrying weapons even though they have arms licenses.

Qadri calls off negotiations with the government till they release all arrested PAT and PTI workers and leaders.

Qadri tells his supporters to reconvene at 6pm, as he will address them again at 7pm.

Read the full story here.


Express News screengrab of Qadri addressing his supporters.

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September 13, 3:13pm

Express News reports that PTI will hold an 'emergency press conference' at 4pm.

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September 13, 3:09pm

AML leader Sheikh Rasheed says he fears the current situation will worsen by today evening.

“There is no point of negotiations now,” he adds.

Rasheed further alleges the government is not presenting PTI’s arrested workers in court.

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September 13, 2:27pm




PTI leader Azam Swati has been arrested, Express News reports.

Swati was arrested moments after IG Islamabad warned that people would be arrested for violating Section 144, if the crowd did not disperse.

Condemning the arrest of Swati, PTI leader Arif Alvi says the Islamabad police is trying to create violence.

Speaking to Express News, Swati says he has been “wrongfully detained”.

“We are not violating Section 144. We are protesting peacefully," he says, adding that PTI leader Shibli Faraz has also been detained.







PHOTO: AFP

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September 13, 2:14pm

While talking to Express News, PTI lawyer Hamid Khan says that they will contest these arrests in the court of law.

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September 13, 2:08pm

While addressing the media, IG Islamabad says that it is the police's duty to disperse a crowd that violates Section 144 of the law.

Moreover, the IG added that the police will not use force against protesters.



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September 13, 1:58pm

The prisoner van carrying PTI workers has left for the police station, Express News reports.

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September 13, 1:49pm

"The police are treating PTI workers like animals by tying them up with ropes," PTI member Andleeb Abbas says.



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September 13, 1:45pm

Express News reports that PTI workers have deflated all the tyres of the police vans present.


PHOTO: AFP

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September 13, 1:41pm

PTI workers are attempting to deflate tyres of police van to prevent it from moving forward.

Moreover, the driver from the van has been removed as a result of the efforts of PTI workers.

Workers can be heard chanting ‘Go Nawaz, go!’


Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gather around a police prison van carrying arrested workers to prevent them from leaving the court area in Islamabad on September 13, 2014. PHOTO: AFP

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September 13, 1:18pm

A court in Islamabad has ordered that the hundreds of PTI and PAT workers arrested by the police be sent to jail for 14 days on judicial remand, Express News reports.

Those arrested are being charged with electricity and water theft.

DJ Butt, the person responsible for playing music at PTI sit-ins, is also reportedly being sent to jail for using a loudspeaker to play music.

“I’m fulfilling my duty. I did not do anything illegal,” Butt says, while talking to Express News.


Express News screengrab of DJ Butt at the police station.

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September 13, 01:57am



Meanwhile, PTI chief Imran Khan urges his supporters not to stay at home owing to an alleged crackdown.



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September 13, 12:45am

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will on Saturday submit their replies in the Supreme Court over apprehensions raised by parliamentarians’ over misrepresentation of army’s support for their sit-ins.

Read the full story here.

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September 13, 12:26am

Government has imposed section 144 in Rawalpindi for 48 hours with effect from 12am on September 13, 2014, our correspondent Sehrish Wasif reports from Islamabad.

According to DCO Rawalpindi Sajid Zafar, section 144 has been imposed owing to terror threats in the district. Under section 144, assembly of four or more people has been barred along with a ban on pillion riding, carrying weapons and use of loud of speakers.

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September 13, 12:06am

As many as 400 PTI supporters have been detained by the police in Lahore, Express News reports.

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September 12, 9:55pm

Lamenting the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) supporters, party chief Imran Khan said he would ask his vice-chairman and head of PTI’s negotiation committee to discontinue talks with the government till they are released.

Hitting out government for use of force against peaceful protesters, he said even dictators like Musharraf did not committed such atrocities against protesters. “I want to ask judiciary under what law PTI supporters are detained?”

“Musharraf’s dictatorship was better than Nawaz Sharif’s democracy.”

Read the full story here.

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September 12, 8:00pm

After arrest of negotiating team member and crackdown on PAT workers, PAT have suspended talks with the government negotiating team.

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September 12, 6:20pm

Ahsan Iqbal says the government has decided to release detained PAT activists, after the party approached them for doing so.

He added the government wishes to continue talks and would meet the PAT delegation on Monday at 8pm.

Meanwhile, PML-Q chief Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain has met Dr Tahirul Qadri in his container in Islamabad.

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September 12, 6:01pm

Arshad Shah, a protester, feels trapped: worn out after weeks of street demonstrations against the government, he wants to go home but protest organisers will not let him.

Like many other protesters led by cleric Tahir ul-Qadri, Shah said organisers had taken away his national identification card to prevent him from leaving the protest site outside government offices in Islamabad. Read the full story here:

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September 12, 5:01pm

While updating the media about the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb, DG ISPR Asim Bajwa said that he believes in the complete supremacy of the law and Constitution, and says that the army facilitated to end the political deadlock for the greater national interest.

Moreover, Bajwa stated that the army has "nothing to do with the government".

"Red Zone was our responsibility. The attack on PTV Headquarters was not our fault," he said.

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September 12, 12:26am

A pillion riding ban has been instituted by the district administration in Islamabad for 10 days.
DC Islamabad Mujahid Sherdil said that the pillion riding ban had been imposed under section 144.

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September 11, 10:26pm

Imran Khan, while addressing sit-in participants, says if recommendations for mitigating floods were acted upon, Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif would not have had to don gum boots and stand in flood waters for 'photo sessions'.

"Why is Nawaz not willing to resign for a month, during which the Judicial Commission could probe May 2013 elections," he said.

He says Pakistanis are not equal citizens since they are not given their due rights.

The PTI chairman points out failings in justice system by illustrating how FIRs were registered against the victims of Model Town incident.

"In any other democratic setup, the assembly would have evicted Nawaz Sharif for lying in the NA."

The PTI chairman says that in NA-256 Karachi - PTI candidate had 84,000 votes audited. Of these, only 6,000 votes were found legitimate.

In NA-258 a PML-N candidate was contesting, and only 4,000 votes were found legitimate. Tribunal ordered re-election, he adds.

Imran adds that he will reveal who killed two parliamentarians, including MQM's Tahira Asif and Handri Masih on Saturday, adding that two MNAs and a police official were involved. He further hinted that they may have been killed for raising their voice for the poor and members of minority communities whose lands were being usurped.

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September 11, 7:36pm

JI Amir Sirajul Haq says ‘opposition jirga’ has conveyed an ‘easy solution’ to the current political impasse, adding that all the three parties should pay heed to the suggestions given, Express News reports.

Meanwhile, talks between ‘opposition jirga’ and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have begun.

Leaders including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Rehman Malik are present at Jahangir Tareen’s residence in Islamabad.

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September 11, 1:20pm

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman calls on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reports.

During their meeting, they discussed the ongoing political crisis in the country.

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September 11, 12:45am


PTI chief Imran Khan interacting with his supporters. PHOTO: ONLINE

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September 11, 12:35am

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday demanded that Prime Minister should explain how he built property in a posh area of London and make millions of dollars worth of investments in Europe.

Standing atop his container-cum-stage at D-Chowk on the 28th day of their protest against a government that the PTI claims is fraud, Imran Khan claimed that Nawaz Sharif had made nearly $320 million worth of investments in Europe through Robert Hersch, against which there were no official record of receipts.

Read the full story here.

COMMENTS (145)

H Chaudhry | 9 years ago | Reply

@WB what a nonesense. Which Dacoit? We yes WE and there are many many of us that oted him in and we will protect this vote if needed. Wait for 2018 or go to Court and PROVE he is decoit.

IOBAL HADI ZAIDI | 9 years ago | Reply

Which IG will win? IG Police Islamabad is very much holding the fort but still IG Police Punjab has also been called from Lahore to crack down on dharnas people and police has already arrested hundreds of people irrespective of the fact whether the person is a supporter of Imran or Qadri or not. I have myself seen footage on television channels showing PTI women loaded in prison which perhaps drove away to infamous Adiala jail. I have also read the news that police is very heavily picketed near dharnas and on all roads of Islamabad whereby all those who return to their homes after listening Imran Khan have been arrested. Now I will go to bed and wish that in morning when I wake up there should not be any news about blood spilling which will be of none but of Pakistanis and therefore Pakistani police should not attack their own compatriots. Which IG is in command?? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Former Diplomat / zaidiformerdiplomat@hotmail.com

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