In a first crackdown ahead of November 02 protest, Islamabad police and personnel of Frontier Constabulary (FC) Thursday baton charged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, and rounded up about 50 youth including women. The police raided a hall at E-11 where a PTI youth convention was underway in connection with November 02 when police and FC personnel stormed the hall.
Shortly after the raid on PTI workers, Rawalpindi police cordoned off Lal Haweli where activists of Sheikh Rasheed's Awami Muslim League were gathered as he was set to hold a rally today (Friday). PTI Chairman Imran Khan is also going to participate in the rally on the invitation of Sheikh Rasheed. But, the police have so far arrested a large number of AML workers who were busy in making preparations for today's rally.
Earlier in the evening, the police took over 50 activists of PTI including its youth president Ali Bokhari into custody. Following, the police raid, senior PTI leader including Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Asad Umer and PTI workers rushed to E-11. A light scuffle was witnessed between police and senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who argued with the personnel for demanding an explanation for the arrests.
After the raid, PTI women workers gathered at the scene and chanted "Go Nawaz Go" slogans and condemned police barbarism against unarmed PTI workers especially women. Police shifted PTI workers to Golra police station in prison van and registered FIR against them for violating Section 144. A women worker said that PTI workers, including women, were attacked by the police at the youth convention. Peaceful protest is our constitutional right, she said, adding that police have also arrested women workers of the party.
After the police action at E-11, PTI workers at Faizabad interchange staged protest against police high handedness. The incident took place soon after imposition of Section-144 in twin cities which disallowed gathering of people across the city and permitted the law enforcement agencies to subject the violators to action.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Abdul Sattar Isani said that the action was taken over imposition of Section-144. Under the law, he said it was an unlawful assembly as the organiser of the convention did not obtain NOC from the administration besides violating Section 144.
According to a statement issued by ICT administration after raid, the action taken by the police was not a crackdown but it was an action for violating Section 144 by holding a convention without taking permission from the administration. It stated that despite repeated reminder to local leaders of PTI, they did not bother to get permission for holding youth convention. Meanwhile, the city police have issued notices to owners of guest houses, hotels and restaurants not to allow stay of any political workers. The administration warned the owners of guest houses, hotels that strict action would be taken against them if they allowed stay any political parties' workers.
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