LAHORE: Violent clashes broke out between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers and security agencies on Tuesday, resulting in the arrest of hundreds of PTI workers in the province, while several policemen suffered injuries.

The clashes erupted following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust case in Islamabad.

In Lahore, PTI workers gathered at Liberty Chowk and started marching towards the Cantonment areas. Announcements were made on social media platforms to reach the Cantonment to protest outside the corps commander’s Jinnah House.

In a footage circulating on different social media platforms, PTI workers were seen carrying clubs and party flags as they arrived at the corps commander’s house in the Cantonment area.

Protests lead to arrest of PTI workers, injuries to police officials; Section 144 imposed

The protesters broke the main gate of the corps commander’s house while chanting slogans against the arrest of their chairman. Video footage circulating on social media showed workers breaking windowpanes, TVs and furniture of the house, and also setting trees and furniture on fire.

In one such video, protesters could also be seen pelting stones and bottles at an army convoy on The Mall. They also set police vehicles outside the Fortress Stadium on fire. They also set several security posts established on different roads in Cantonment on fire. The PTI workers also set Liberty Chowk on fire during the protest.

PTI workers also closed down Akbar Chowk, Peco Road, Main Canal Road, Johar Town, Garhi Shahu, Zaman Park, The Mall, Shimla Pahari, and Faisal Town.

The demonstrators burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the coalition government.

As many as 30 policemen, including DIG operations Ali Nasir Rizvi, operations SSP Sohaib Ashraf, Cantt SP Awais Shafiq and DSPs, were injured during clashes with PTI workers.

The police also arrested hundreds of PTI workers from different districts of the province. Videos circulating on social media showed that the policemen were taking PTI male and female workers into custody in Lahore and Multan.

In Multan, PTI workers also entered the cantonment area where the police and other law enforcement agencies stopped them by using tear gas. The workers were protesting by blocking major roads of the city.

The videos of Multan Cantonment showed that the army personnel were confronting the protesters and stopping them from entering the cantonment by using tear gas.

Workers also protested in Bahawalpur, Toba Tek Singh, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Jampur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Okara, Kasur, Layyah, and Taunsa.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has imposed Section 144 for two days across the province. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure empowers the district administration to issue orders in the public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time.

A notification issued by the Punjab Home Department said the restriction had been imposed due to protest activities posing “serious security threats”.

It further states “There is also a history of terrorist activities in the rallies/protests, wherein a number of police officials and civilians embraced shahadat. Hence, in the context of the prevailing overall security situation in the wake of the recent wave of terrorism & threat alerts, it has been necessary to impose Section 144 of CrPC 189”.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2023