LAHORE, Sept 8: Police and other law-enforcement agencies have expedited their crackdown on PML-N workers across the province, especially in the provincial metropolis which is hometown of Nawaz and Shahbaz as their likely return from over seven years of exile is now less than 48 hours away.On Saturday, hundreds of office-bearers and workers were detained from different cities while Punjab chapter of the PML-N has confirmed that their at least 175 workers had been detained in the last couple of days. The objective of the crackdown is said to be foiling the PML-N’s bid to accord a rousing welcome to their exiled leaders at Islamabad airport.A majority of the PML-N workers has been detained under Section 188 of PPC and section 16 of the MPO, either from their residences, offices or business places and shifted to different jails on judicial remand. The police, however, claimed that violators of Section 144 CrPC only were being detained.

People witnessed hide-and-seek between PML-N activists and the agencies’ personnel, which continued round the clock during the past 24 hours.

Capital City Police Officer Malik Iqbal told Dawn the police had so far detained 100 PML-N activists in the past few days who violated Section 144 and held rallies and corner meetings. He rejected the reports that the police were raiding offices and residences of the PML-N workers.

PML-N Lahore information secretary Imran Nazir told Dawn the police had so far detained their 200 local office-bearers and workers.

PML-N Lahore secretary-general (MPA) Mian Mujtaba Shujaaur Rehman said the police were registering fake cases against party workers. He said workers busy in wall chalking and displaying banners were also being lifted by the cops.

Mujtaba said the police were especially targeting office-bearers at union council level, who, according to agencies’ estimation, could mobilise workers more effectively to come on the streets to accord a hero’s welcome to their exiled leaders.