ISLAMABAD: Over 90 arrests were made when a group of people tried to enter the Red Zone in support of Mumtaz Qadri, the man on trial for the murder of slain Governor Punjab Salman Taseer.

An appeal for Mumtaz Qadri was being held at the Supreme Court on Monday.

The police say in addition to Islamabad and Rawalpindi natives, people from Gujranwala had also made attempts to reach the court.

Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for unlawful assembly had been enforced across the capital. The police say they were directed to take action against supporters and that suspicious individuals should be taken into custody.

Security was tightened at all checkpoints amid reports that a large number of people would reach the Supreme Court during Qadri’s appeal against a conviction and the death sentence.

Capital police units were deployed along roads including four reserves at Nadra Chowk, two at D-Chowk and one on Agha Khan Road. Khayaban-i-Suhrawardy was closed off from Attaturk Avenue onwards. Traffic moving towards Constitution Avenue was diverted to Shahrah-e-Jamhuriat.

As many as 47, including Mufti Hanif Qureshi and Mufti Akbar Hussain, were arrested from Nadra Chowk. Another 50 people were taken into custody from Aabpara. Cases against the arrested men have been registered under Article 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The police say security measures will remain in place in and around the Red Zone on Tuesday to intercept supporters of Mumtaz Qadri.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2015

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