LAHORE: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mahmood has strongly condemned the Punjab Government's action of lodging an FIR against 40 PTI members, including Central Leaders Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Asif Bashir and Rukhsana Naveed.

He made it clear that PTI was staging a peaceful protest rally against the violent torture of ISF students by criminal elements of the PML-N and MSF. He said that the Punjab Government, PML-N and MSF have resorted to blatant violence against Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf workers.

He warned the Punjab administration of wide spread protests in Lahore if the forged FIRS against PTI and ISF members were not cancelled.

"PML-N has been baffled by PTIs unprecedented 5-day membership campaign in Lahore and is using coercive means to suppress political activities of the party in Punjab," he said.

Shafqat Mahmood further stated that PML-N's failure to control criminal elements within its ranks has exposed the state of governance in the province.

Providing details, he said that ISF and PTI workers staged a peaceful protest on Sunday against violence on ISF workers by criminal elements of PML-N.

"Rather than taking action against those involved in violence, Punjab police lodged FIR's against dozens of ISF and PTI workers," he added.