LAHORE: Mounting repression by Khizr-Congress Coalition against the Punjab Muslims culminated on Saturday [Jan 25] in Lahore in the arrest of 63 persons including 16 League M.L.A.s, use of tear gas on three occasions and resort to lathi charge on six occasions, resulting in considerable casualties, particularly in case of four Muslim girls. British troops … are standing by in the City Kotwali.

…The Punjab Muslim League Party which met here today to take stock of the situation created by the arrest of the League leaders yesterday … decided to defy the ban imposed by the Punjab Government on the assembly of more than five persons and taking out of processions.

[Meanwhile, as reported from Karachi,] A resolution condemning the arrest of the Muslim League in the Punjab yesterday [Jan 25] was passed by the All-India Jamiat-ul-Ulema-Islam Conference at Hyderabad (Sind) today. ...The speakers criticised the action of the Punjab Government against the Muslim National Guards, and said that the National Guards organisation which had been started by the Muslim for the protection of the Muslim community had never given any cause to the authorities for such action.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2022