ISLAMABAD: In one fell swoop, police on Friday rounded up over 300 activists of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). The move came a day before the PTI prepared to observe ‘One Nation Day’ – the one-month anniversary of their party’s sit-in in the capital city.

Those in custody include the PTI’s sound man, DJ Butt; 10 of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s personal bodyguards; as well as Asad Abbas Naqvi, leader of the PAT-allied Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM).

Word of the arrests spread like wildfire among demonstrators on Constitution Avenue, and announcements were made from Dr Qadri’s container early on Friday morning, warning protesters not to leave the site of the sit-ins because police had launched a crackdown and were picking up activists from both parties.

A 2,500-strong police contingent, working in teams, picked up people in raids from various parts of the city, including raids on guest houses and hotels in sectors F-6, F-7, G-6 and G-7. The action, which was supervised by Superintendent Zubair Shaikh, did not include any arrests from the sit-in venue itself.

l Dr Qadri’s bodyguards, MWM leader among nearly 300 people picked up on Friday l Police say weapons, ammo and riot gear also recovered in raids l PTI, PAT activists insist govt using such tactics to curtail attendance at sit-ins

Police claim that six rifles, dozens of other weapons and ammunition – as well as riot gear, shields and gas masks taken from security personnel during last week’s clashes on Constitution Avenue – were recovered during the raids. Inspector General of Islamabad Police Tahir Alam Khan told Dawn: “The arrests have nothing to do with a crackdown against the sit-ins themselves.”

“Those who were involved in clashes with law enforcement agencies, attacks on key buildings, such as Parliament House, the Presidency, Cabinet Block, the Pakistan Secretariat and Pakistan Television Headquarters, were taken into custody,” he said. Police sources told Dawn that 10 former SSG commandos, part of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s personal security, were picked up from a guest house in Sector G-7’s Sitara Market. These men were also part of the security contingent that accompanied Dr Qadri during his march on the capital in 2013.

In a raid on the MWM office in Sector G-6/4, police arrested over a dozen activists and also detained Asad Abbas Naqvi, who was a member of the team negotiating with the government on behalf of the protesting parties.

Jhang-resident Mohammad Arif, who is a PAT supporter, told Dawn that police had been threatening party workers with arrests for some days now. He claimed that some workers were beaten and also had their money and valuables confiscated.

Arif said personnel from the Punjab police had an ‘attitude problem’, saying, “They abuse our party workers, but Islamabad police are a bit more civilised and our workers have fewer complaints against them.”

Swat-resident Rafique Ahmed, who supports PTI and has been in Islamabad since August 14, told Dawn: “Last night two youngsters who lived in the tent next to mine went missing. There are rumours that they have been picked up by the police,” he said.

PTI office-bearer Mohammad Ali Makhdoom, who was dealing with the arrests of party workers on Friday, confirmed that a number of people had been picked up by police.

Najam Hussain and Haji Mohammad Ali were among four people arrested by Kohsar police, he said.

“I met the men in the police station and also spoke to the police officials there, who said the workers would be released soon,” he said.

“These are pressure tactics, aimed at dampening our spirits and decreasing the number of participants in the sit-in for Saturday’s celebration. Section 144 and the ban on pillion riding is also part of the same game,” he said.

“There is no threat of terrorist attack. We are peaceful demonstrators and no one will attack us. The government should stop,” he said, referring to Thursday night’s statement from the interior minister that warned of the presence of half a dozen terrorists among the ranks of the protesters.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2014