ISLAMABAD: As many as 52 activists and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) were arrested for the violation of Section 144 on Friday.

Earlier, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered to quash all the cases registered on the charges of violating Section 144 and released the arrested people. The court observed that such cases can only be registered by a magistrate.

The 52 PTI activists were booked in two separate cases registered in response to a complaint lodged by the magistrates with the Ramna and Shahzad Town police.

The Ramna police registered a case against 45 people and arrested them after they gathered at G-11/1 Service Road.

Magistrate Malik Farrukh Nadeem in his complaint stated that the protesters were carrying banners and chanting slogans against the government despite the imposition of Section 144 in the city.

The second case was registered with the Shahzad Town police in response to a complaint lodged by Magistrate Ali Javed. The magistrate stated that seven people gathered at the expressway near Soan.

They were carrying banners and chanting slogans against the government and marching towards the sit-in venue at the Red Zone.

Published in Dawn, September 20th , 2014