LAHORE: PTI workers began on Thursday their ‘foot march’ on Islamabad to be part of the Nov 2 capital siege.

The march started amid police raids at the PTI offices and workers’ residences to check their movement.

A PTI workers’ group led by Shabbir Sial and Ejaz Chaudhry offered ‘dua’ outside Data Darbar and began foot march on Islamabad. The group was welcomed by party leaders at different locations and it reached Kamoki by the end of day.

Leader moves LHC against possible action

Speaking to the party workers, Ejaz Chaudhry said the foot march had been organised to create awareness among the masses against corruption. He said the PTI workers would not compromise on anything less than the rulers’ accountability.

As the police started baton-charging and arresting the PTI workers in Islamabad, party chief Imran Khan announced countrywide protest against police highhandedness. Soon afterwards, the PTI workers came out on roads in cities across the province and chanted slogans against the government.

Late in the evening, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah gave police a go-ahead to arrest all those who would try to head towards Islamabad. The police force came into action across the province and raided at local leaders’ offices and residences. They also arrested various party leaders and workers.

According to reports, police raided Mahmoodur Rasheed’s public secretariat as well as former PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry’s place. As the situation started getting tense in Punjab, PTI leaders Advocate Hamid Khan, Mahmoodur Rasheed, MNA Shafqat Mahmood and others held a meeting and announced province-wide strike.

LHC: The PTI moved the Lahore High Court against the possible arrest of its workers in the province ahead of Nov 2 ‘lockdown’ plan.

The party’s Lahore chapter president, Waleed Iqbal, filed a writ petition saying the government functionaries had made a plan to arrest the workers of the PTI and other political parties. He stated the government had prepared a list of political leaders and workers from across the country in order to sabotage the peaceful protest of Nov 2.

He prayed to court to restrain the government from arresting or harassing PTI workers and leaders.

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2016