Pakistan: Police arrest PTI secretary-general Karachi chapter Arsalan Taj from residence

Karachi [Pakistan], March 12 (ANI): Karachi police in an overnight raid arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secretary-general Karachi chapter, Arsalan Taj, Pakistan-based ARY News reported on Sunday. PTI Sindh spokesperson, Shehzad Qureshi said that Sindh police ‘raided’ houses of party leaders including Khurram Sher Zaman, Arsalan Taj and Raja Azhar. According to Qureshi, Raja Azhar and Khurram Sher Zaman were not present at their residence during the raid. Arslan Taj was, however, taken into custody during the raid.

PTI Sindh spokesperson further said that the families of the party leaders were ‘threatened’. He demanded the Sindh CM and IG for the immediate release of Arslan Taj. The Islamabad police had earlier conducted raids to arrest the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf office-bearers before the arrival of the Imran Khan-led convoy of PTI long march.

Sources said that the houses of PTI’s local office-bearers were raided by the capital police. It was learnt that police officials were eyeing to arrest those individuals who were collecting funds for the PTI long march, according to ARY News. Geo News on Sunday reported that after former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced that he will be leading the PTI election rally in Lahore on Sunday at 2 pm (local time), the Punjab government on Saturday night announced imposing Section 144 (banning of large gatherings) in Lahore to avoid any “untoward incidents,”.

This is the second time in less than a week that the interim government has imposed the restriction ahead of the election rally of the party, which has severely been criticised as the caretaker set-up for being “partial”. Just like earlier this week, Punjab caretaker Information Minister Amir Mir said that the former prime minister has once again announced holding a rally on an “important day,” reported Geo News.

“Today (Sunday), Lahore will host a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match. There will also be a 40-kilometre-long marathon and cycle race in the city,” the information minister said. Mir added that the administration informed the party about the events beforehand, and it was also apprised in writing to hold the rally another day, but it chose otherwise.

“In light of the situation, the Punjab government has decided to ban rallies today. Section 144 is being imposed to avoid any untoward incident,” the information minister said. It will be the first rally that Imran Khan will lead in over four months as he was mobilising the party from his Zaman Park residence, as per the news report. The former Pakistan PM had been at home as he was recovering from an injury he sustained last year.