— Imran says police have arrested 1,600 workers in overnight raids to ‘sabotage historic rally’
LAHORE: In anticipation of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) public gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan tonight, the police launched a crackdown against members of the opposition party and blocked routes leading to the venue in Greater Iqbal Park on the outskirts of the Walled City.
The road heading from Data Darbar towards Minar-i-Pakistan has been closed off from both sides, while some roads leading to the location have also been blocked.
Some truck drivers at the scene have reported not being compensated for the use of their vehicles to block the roads. According to the drivers, they were directed by officials at Shafiqabad police station near Old Ravi Bridge who said it was a government order and that the police had the keys to the trucks.
مینار پاکستان جلسے کو ناکام بنانے کے لیے لاہور کے داخلی و خارجی راستوں کو کنٹینرز لگا کر بند کردیا گیا ہے تاکہ دوسرے شہروں سے آنے والے پی ٹی آئی قافلے لاہور داخل نہ ہوسکیں،جبکہ مینار پاکستان گراؤنڈ جانے والے راستے بھی کنٹینرز لگا کر بند کردیے گئے ہیں تاکہ لوگ پہنچ نہ سکیں pic.twitter.com/bgzLw60OmZ
— Imran Bhatti (@ReporterBhatti) March 25, 2023
Some students who were scheduled to appear for the Institute of Chartered Accountant exams were also affected by the road blockades. It has been reported that they were unable to reach the exam venue due to the blocked roads.
The drivers have been directed to keep their trucks blocking the roads until 12 pm tomorrow. The police crackdown is ongoing as authorities aim to maintain law and order during the PTI public gathering.
Meanwhile, Imran Khan, the chairman of the party, urged his supporters in Lahore to attend the jalsa after Taraweeh prayers at 9:00 pm. The former prime minister expressed confidence that the event would “break all [previous attendance] records”.
Tonight will be our 6th jalsa at Minar i Pakistan & my heart tells me it will break all records.I am inviting everyone in Lahore to attend after Tarawih prayers.I will give my vision of Haqeeqi Azadi & how we will pull Pak out of the mess cabal of crooks have put our country in.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 25, 2023
Khan, who was removed from his post as prime minister in April of last year through a contentious vote of no-confidence, said he will present his vision for “Haqeeqi Azadi” during the gathering.
He also aims to discuss how the country can overcome the challenges that he claims were created by a “cabal of crooks”, a reference to the government of Shahbaz Sharif, who he believes has led the nation into a state of turmoil.
While Khan expects the government to erect barriers that could prevent his followers from attending the event, he has stressed it is their fundamental right to participate in a jalsa.
He also encouraged everyone to exercise their right as citizens of a free nation and join him at the venue.
Seperetely, speaking to journalists before leaving to attend court, Khan said police in Lahore and elsewhere across Punjab have arrested 1,600 workers of his party to “fail the rally.”
“I urge everyone to join me at Minar Pakistan tonight following Taraweeh prayer and witness with your own eyes the historic size of this rally — the largest in Lahore’s history,” he told the press.
جلسہ ناکام بنانے کے لیے 1600کارکنوں کو پکڑ لیا گیا ہے سب سے درخواست ہے نماز تراویح کے بعد مینار پاکستان پہنچیں.یہ آج اپنے آنکھوں سے دیکھیں گے لاہور کی تاریخ کا سب سے بڑا جلسہ ہوگا
ہماری آزادی ختم کردی گئی ہے ایسے لگتا ہے جیسے ہم مقبوضہ کشمیر یا فلسطین میں رہ رہے ہیں۔عمران خان pic.twitter.com/Q6cxSHC1dB
— Imran Bhatti (@ReporterBhatti) March 25, 2023
“It appears as though our freedom has been stripped away […] reminiscent of the occupation of Kashmir or Palestine.”
Khan was scheduled to hold a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on March 19, but the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the party to reschedule the event and have a dialogue with the caretaker administration of Mohsin Naqvi. Subsequently, the court disposed of a PTI petition seeking permission to hold the rally after the party and the city administration reached an agreement.
The rally, scheduled to begin at 10:00 pm on March 25, was agreed to by the Lahore president of PTI, Imtiaz Mahmood, who submitted an affidavit accepting the terms and conditions.
The rally had previously been postponed due to a ban on public gatherings and a high-security risk.
