ISLAMABAD, March 21: Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto has condemned arrests of party activists and demanded their immediate release. In a statement issued on Wednesday, she said staging peaceful demonstrations against the “sacking” of the chief justice and holding corner meetings in an election year was a democratic right of people.

According to the PPP, over 170 activists of the party were arrested early Wednesday in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Mandi Bahauddin ahead of the party’s planned meetings and demonstrations to show solidarity with lawyers.

In Lahore, City PPP women’s wing president Sajida Mir and many other party activists were arrested while participating in a corner meeting.