Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ‘Jail Bharo’ movement is all set to start its third day in Rawalpindi with charged party workers waiting to court arrest.
Today, six Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and 14 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) will be courting arrest.
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Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Chief Allama Raja Nasir will also present himself for arrest in the ‘Jail Bharo’ movement.
A heavy contingent of police along with ladies personnel reached Rawalpindi’s Committee Chowk.
Several PTI activists and leader Tariq Samuel presented themselves for court arrest. They got on the roof of the prisoner van.
Meanwhile, the government has completed preparations in Adiala Jail for anticipated detentions.
The first two days of the campaign heated the political environment of Lahore and Peshawar, with arrests of senior leadership of PTI including Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Azam Swati from Lahore.
On the second day of movement, former defence minister Pervaiz Khattak along with a convoy of party workers and leaders, including Shah Farman and Asad Qaisar; had reached outside the Peshawar Central Jail but the police did not arrest them.
Transfer to different jails
After apprehensions in Lahore, PTI leaders and activists had been moved to different jails and cases were registered against some workers under the provisions of terrorism and vandalizing.
MPO 3 on PTI leaders
Lahore police booked PTI workers under Section 3 of Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) which states, “Government, if satisfied that with a view to preventing any person from acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety p or the maintenance of public order it is necessary so to do, may, by an order in writing, direct the arrest and detention in such custody Power to arrest and detain suspected persons.”
Under the same, the Lahore district administration sent a list of 77 people, who could now be kept in detention for up to three months.
Later, Punjab Home Department issued a notification late on Thursday for 30-day imprisonment of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
The notification was issued on the recommendation of Lahore deputy commissioner.
Qureshi seeks bail
Following this notification, Qureshi’s son approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking release of his father and other PTI leaders.
The court remarked that the party workers boarded the prison van themselves. “Why they are becoming a burden on court and demanding release from jail,” it stated.
The court asked the concerned authorities to prepare and submit a report regarding the issue of arrests in the next hearing.
