ISLAMABAD: The capital police arrested several people, including the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters, and registered separate cases against them for creating law and order situation, blocking roads, resorting to hooliganism and selling party flags on the occasion of Independence Day, police said on Tuesday.

The Karachi Company police arrested a man for selling PTI flags in G-9/1 and registered a case against him. Similarly, a police team spotted two persons in G-9/1 selling national as well as PTI flags in front of a house. One of them managed to escape on seeing the police while the other was captured. As many as 325 flags and batons were recovered from the spot, the police said, adding that they had violated the ban imposed by the district magistrate on selling the political party’s flags on the occasion of the Independence Day.

In the same way, the Margalla police arrested 10 PTI supporters and registered a case against them.

Earlier, about 20 people carrying PTI flags, stones as well as batons appeared at Faisal Chowk where they chanted anti-government slogans and blocked the road, creating hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic.

At first the police warned them but when they refused to leave the area, they were arrested and shifted to the police station for further action.

The Secretariat police also arrested 21 people for blocking the road by parking vehicles and motorcycle there, and resorting to hooliganism at Kashmir Chowk and Lake View Park. Separate cases were also registered against against them.

Besides, Aabpara police also registered a case against 40 people who had blocked Zero Point bridge by parking vehicles and motorcycles and resorting to hooliganism.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2023