55 PPP workers booked for protesting Zardari's arrest

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PPP supporters protest against the arrest of party leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari in Mandi Bahauddin. ─ Photo by author
PPP supporters protest against the arrest of party leader and former president Asif Ali Zardari in Mandi Bahauddin. ─ Photo by author

Police on Wednesday registered a case against 55 Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers who took to the streets in Mandi Bahauddin's suburban Gojra area to protest the arrest of party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari from his residence in Islamabad two days prior.

Of the 55 protesters booked, 40 are unidentified while 15 have been named in an FIR filed under Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law and Section 341 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Gojra police said.

"The protesters had blocked the mini motorway along with Sargodha Road during their protests. They burnt tyres and caused suspension of traffic," said police.

Police also claimed that the demonstrators had chanted anti-government slogans and sought to instigate violence.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Nasir Sial, one party worker has been arrested while raids are being carried out to arrest the others.

On Tuesday, in many towns and cities across Sindh, leaders, activists and supporters of the PPP held demonstrations and took out rallies after a call was given by the party leadership to protest against the arrest.

Zardari's arrest pertains to an investigation into suspicious transactions worth Rs4.4 billion allegedly carried out through a fictitious bank account. According to the prosecution, the account titled M/s A One International was fake and it received a sum of Rs4.4bn out of which Rs30m was paid to the Zardari Group at two different times.

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