FAISALABAD, Nov 4: In a bid to prevent backlash of emergency rule in the country, police rounded up hundreds of political parties’ activists, mostly of the PML-N, and lawyers in various parts of Punjab.
A major crackdown came about in Faisalabad where more than a hundred activists and leaders of the PML-N were taken into custody late Saturday night.
Sources said a meeting held under the co-chair of AIG Talat Mahmood and DIG (Operations) Muhammad Aslam Tareen called for arrest of all prominent and active workers of the PML-N. Accordingly, the SPOs and SHOs raided the houses of the PML-N leaders and picked up many of them.
Those arrested included former MPA Malik Muhammad Nawaz, former MNA Nisar Akbar, who had recently switched loyalty from the PPP, district president Safdarur Rehman, youth wing city president Shahid Mahmood Baig, union council nazim Sheikh Muhammad Aslam, Mian Illyas and Ashraf Mughal.
Besides, the police arrested 15 lawyers and some activists of the MMA. A majority of the political leaders and district bar office-bearers went into hiding to avert arrest. Sources said no PPP worker was arrested.
A police officer, requesting anonymity, said no case had so far been instituted and “we are awaiting instructions from high-ups”.
MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Hundreds of arrests of political activists and lawyers came amidst a crackdown launched by the police to avoid any agitation against the imposition of emergency.
In Mandi Bahauddin, the district police apprehended over a dozen PML-N leaders after conducting raids on their residences.
PML-N district president and former MPA Dewaan Mushtaq Ahmad said the police raided his house and residences of PML-N city president Haji Usman Ahmad and Riaz Ahmad Khokhar on Saturday night. He confirmed the arrests of PML-N Mandi tehsil president Muhammad Iqbal Gondal, secretary-general Dr Muhammad Anwar, Malikwal president Syed Shahid Shah, Malikwal tehsil president Liaquat Ali, youth wing district secretary Asghar Yaqoob Sandhu, tehsil secretary-general Mian Hassan Mahmood, five servants of PML-N district vice-president Shafqat Mahmood Gondal and activist Aslam Kamboh.
Meanwhile, police also raided the office of PPP district information secretary Mahmood Husain Shakir and city president Dewaan Shamim Akhtar. Police also detained DBA president Muzaffar Iqbal advocate and former MNA Umer Hayat Lalika at their residences.
MULTAN: The district police rounded up several PML-N activists and lawyers here in Multan on Sunday.
Among those detained were: PML-N acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, High Court Bar Multan Bench secretary-general Rana Naveedul Hassan, District Bar Association secretary-general Mumtaz Noor Tangra, Advocates Bilal Butt, Khalid Ashraf, Mahmood Ashraf and Sheikh Faheem, and Malik Anwar Ali, Imtiaz Gulzar Chattan, Sheikh Liaquat and Sheikh Imdad.
The police continued raids for more arrests till last reports came in.
According to sources, Javed Hashmi, Mumtaz Noor Tangra, Rana Naveed, Khalid Ashraf, Mahmood Ashraf and Sheikh Faheem have been detained under 3 MPO for 90 days and consigned to the Mianwali Jail.
Pakistan Bar Council chairman Aziz Akbar Baig said the council had announced a one-day strike for Monday (today) and a National Action Committee meeting in Islamabad would chart further strategy. All bar councils would protest against the emergency rule and suspension of the Constitution, besides unfair treatment to the chief justice.
Seraiki Qaumi Movement President Hameed Asghar Shaheen said the PPP and the MQM were the main beneficiaries after the imposition of emergency because chances of Nawaz Sharif’s return had diminished.
SIALKOT: Police detained 117 activists of the PML-N and the Jamaat-i-Islami in Sialkot and Narowal districts.
Reports said the police raided hotels, offices and residences of activists in Sialkot, Daska, Bhopalwala, Sambrial, Uggoki, Bajwat, Pasrur, Mianwali Bangla, Sirraanwali, Chawinda, Badiana, Shakargarh, Zafarwal, Baddo Malhi, Noor Kot, Narowal and surrounding areas and arrested them.
Talking to this reporter over phone, PML-N central leader and MNA Khwaja Muhammad Asif and local JI leaders condemned the crackdown, demanding immediate release of the activists.
JHANG: Around 20 office-bearers of three bar associations and activists of political parties, particularly the PML-N, were taken into custody in pre-dawn raids at their houses.
Those arrested were: Jhang bar president and PML-N district president Ghulam Farid, Shorkot bar president Syed Kalbe Abbas Shah, JUI Jhang district secretary-general Shahbaz Gujjar, PML-N Jhang tehsil president Gulsher Chaddar, PML-N Jhang city president Zahoor Chauhan advocate, Shorkot bar vice-president Chaudhry Iftikhar advocate, Jhang bar vice-president Mazhar Ali Lakhnana, JUI-S district amir Hakim Muhammad Yasin, JI Chiniot amir Allah Ditta Khokhar, former MMA’s Chiniot president Maulana Abdul Waris, PML-N Chiniot vice-president Azhar Nayyer Sindhu advocate, PML-N Chiniot tehsil secretary-general Tariq Aziz advocate, Shorkot’s Zafar Kamlana advocate and Abdur Rehman advocate, PML-N’s Abuzar Bharwana, Muhammad Ali advocate, Asif Iqbal advocate, Muhammad Ayub, Aamir Naul and Sandrana.
GUJRANWALA: Over 50 activists of political parties, including PML-N district president Mahmood Bashir Virk, and lawyers were arrested.
Former federal minister Ghulam Dastagir Khan (PML-N) and his son, Khurram Dastagir, were placed under house arrest.
The police also raided the house of District Bar Association secretary-general Amir Munir Bagri, but he could not be arrested.
Mostly lawyers were apprehended in the crackdown while a majority of leaders and activists of political parties had already gone underground.
KASUR: At least 10 political activists and lawyers were detained under 3-MPO in this part of Punjab and the police continued raids for the arrest of other politicians.
Those held were: Nasir Mahmood Khan and Jamil Ahmad of PML-N, and advocates Malik Ashfaq Khokhar, Muhammad Anwar Jattala, Tariq Chughtai, Ghulam Rasool Bhatti, Shahzad Ahmad, Muhammad Ashraf, Muhammad Zia and Muhammad Atif.
TOBA TEK SINGH: The district police apprehended PML-N central leader M Hamza and 11 activists of opposition political parties.
Those taken into custody were: MMA district president Dr Saleem Zafar, JAH district amir Mufti Muhammad Aslam, Kamalia secretary-general Maulana Abdul Rahim Zahid, PML-N Gojra leader Dr Akram Tahir, PML-N activists Mirza Bashir Baig and Muhammad Zahid, JI’s Razaullah Mufti, PML-N Sindhlianwali leader Mehr Abdul Rehman Sargana, JUI-F district amir Maulana Lutfullah Ludhianvi and PML-N Gojra activists Noor Husain and Abdul Salam.
OKARA: At least four political activists — PPP district secretary-general Sibtain Khan Bhatty advocate, PML-N’s Syed Ali Hasnain Kirmani, Rana Nazir and Ashiq Mayo — were arrested.
A large number of activists have already gone underground to avoid arrest. DPO Mirza Faran Baig is supervising the crackdown while all the DSPs are carrying out field operations.
It is learnt that the lists of ‘wanted men’ have been provided to the police stations across the district.
SAHIWAL: Five lawyers and a political activist were arrested from different parts of the district.
Those arrested were: acting bar president Tariq Afzal Shah Khagga, Khalid Shah, Azizur Rehman Butt, former Punjab Bar Council member Abdul Mateen, Chichawatni bar president Mehr Abdul Razzaq and PML-N tehsil president Mehr Abbas. They were detained in different police stations.
Police also raided the house of DBA secretary-general Mian Islamul Haq, but he could not be arrested.
KHANEWAL: DPO Shahid Hanif said the district police on Sunday arrested two lawyers, Shahid Ehsan and Mian Muhammad Khalid, members of the Mian Channu bar. The police also arrested PML-N activist Talib Husain Babu.
Khanewal bar president Chaudhry Ghulam Husain said the police raided his house in People’s Colony late on Saturday night. He said raids were also conducted on the residences of bar secretary-general Iqbal Husain Jafri, senior vice-president Chaudhry Abdul Rauf and other office-bearers, including Jam Sajjad Jona, Khalid Khattak and Mazhar Sial.
He said despite arrests and continuous raids, the bar would boycott court proceedings on Monday (today) on the appeal of the Pakistan Bar Council.
The cell phone of PPP leader Syed Fakhar Imam was found powered off when this correspondent tried to contact him. However, his brother, Syed Faisal Imam, said the police didn’t raid his or his brother’s residence.
BAHAWALPUR:PPP district information secretary Salim Bhatti said scores of activists of the party were arrested by police in pre-dawn raids.
He said among the arrested were district additional-secretary Irshad Siroya, Ahmadpur East tehsil president and lawyer Ijaz Bokhari and Bahawalpur city secretary-general Ashraf Cheema.
PPP district president Riaz Dahar said police arrested him from his house on Sunday and took him to the DSP office before being released. Almost all prominent leaders of the PML-N have gone underground to evade arrests.
SHEIKHUPURA: Seven activists of the PML-N and Jamaat-i-Islami were arrested. They were: PML-N secretary information Khalid Pervaiz, Malik Younis Awan, Farrukh Qayyum, Dr Abbas Ghadi, Rifaqat Ali and Farooq Nadim.
LAYYAH: PML-N’s Niaz Ansari, district secretary-general Abdullah Shakoor and former MPA Ijaz Ahmad were arrested in Layyah.
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