• Condemns police crackdown, arrest of party leaders, workers
• LHC seeks replies to petition against restrictions on poll campaigns

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Monday alleged that affiliation with the party and carrying its flag had become a crime in the country.

Speaking at a press conference, PTI core committee member Shoaib Shaheen said the party had on Sunday announced holding peaceful rallies across the country, but law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown on them and a number of arrests were made.

Advocate Shaheen, who is contesting the election from NA-47 (Islamabad), said the party candidates were not being allowed to hold even corner meetings in Islamabad and other places in the country. He said PTI leader Raja Qaiser Ghaffar decided to hold a meeting at his house in Islamabad, but police entered the home.

“We are not getting a level playing field, but this attitude is triggering reaction among the masses and creating a soft corner in the hearts of people. The current situation was not even observed during the martial law regime. I appeal to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa to intervene and stop the worst rigging. Otherwise, the Supreme Court will be held responsible for that,” he warned.

Replying to a question, without naming the CJP, he said: “You will retire in October and history will never forget you. It is up to you if you want to be remembered as a good or bad judge in the history”.

Advocate Shaheen said a judicial commission should be constituted to investigate the pre-poll rigging.

Amer Mughal, a candidate from NA-46 (Islamabad), said: “We were holding a meeting in Shah Allah Ditta and Sector I-10, but police reached there and harassed people and organisers. On Sunday, one of our workers was arrested and shifted to Sangjani police station and was pressurised to quit the party.

“We don’t have any expectation from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), so I demand the Islamabad High Court and deputy commissioner take notice. I want to ask the Islamabad police chief why he has become a party in elections.”

He alleged that there was an unannounced curfew in Islamabad and police were after the PTI workers, urging the CJP to take notice.

Mr Mughal said he had also filed a petition in the apex court to get level playing field.

Syed Muhammad Ali Bukhari, a candidate from NA-48 (Islamabad), said whenever they announced holding a corner meeting, police reached there. On Sunday, he added, a superintendent of police, along with other officials, entered the house of Chaudhry Kabeer in Shahzad Town and broke the main gate just because he was holding a meeting in that house.

“Police also raided my office in Jinnah Garden and did not allow anyone to enter it from 8am to 8pm. My supporter Zaigham Shah’s son has been arrested,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PTI condemned the police crackdown, brutalities and oppression against the participants of PTI’s election gatherings, saying the people were all set to take revenge for these “cruelties and fascism” through the power of their vote in the general elections scheduled for Feb 8.

A PTI spokesperson said that as the elections were drawing nearer, an alarming upsurge had been witnessed in the crackdowns on PTI candidates and workers, adding that their abductions and disruptions in holding peaceful public gatherings clearly reflected the rising popularity of the party.

Restrictions on PTI candidates

The Lahore High Court on Monday sought replies from the federal and provincial governments and the ECP on a petition alleging restrictions on the PTI-supported candidates from running their campaigns for the Feb 8 polls.

Advocate Zaman Khan Wardag filed the petition pleading that the PTI candidates were being harassed and permission was not being granted to them to run their election campaigns. He alleged that the state machinery was being used against the candidates affiliated with the PTI.

He asked the court to restrain the authorities from causing harassment to the PTI candidates and allow them to carry out their election campaigns without any fear.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the arguments and issued notices to the respondents for submission of replies by Feb 2.

Wajih Ahmad Sheikh in Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2024

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