LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has claimed its leaders and workers have been booked for taking out a ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ rally, after an FIR was registered against them for ‘rioting armed with deadly weapons’, ‘mischief by injury to public road, bridge’ and other similar alleged offences.

According to party and police sources, the Lahore police registered the FIR against the PTI leaders and workers for taking out a rally to express solidarity with the armed forces, burning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s effigy, and torching tyres on Ferozepur Road near Model Town.

The FIR was registered against PTI Lahore president Imtiaz Sheikh, Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, Ali Warraich and around 50 other workers under Sections 290 (public nuisance), 291 (Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge) of the PPC.

Imtiaz Sheikh tweeted that the police had booked him and other party leaders for bringing out the ‘Pakistan Zindabad Rally’.

He said the FIR was registered as PTI leaders and workers torched Modi’s effigy and raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. “We are proud of being booked for holding the Pakistan Zindabad Rally”.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2025