Just imagine how seriously the police are desperately hunting down each and every active associate of the opposition parties before the Oct 16 rally planned by Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Gujranwala, as they even raided the house of a PTI local office-bearer in Lahore on early Thursday morning.

According to 24NewsHD TV channel, the policemen reached Attique Butt’s residence located in Islampura, asking him to come with them.

When questioned why his house was raided, they told him that his name was mentioned in a list. He was summoned to get the home address of a person named Javed Iqbal, ASI Faisal reportedly told him.

Reacting to the move, Butt claimed that his family’s secrecy and respect was violated and demanded Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and top police officials to take action against the raiding party members.

This misunderstanding took place as the police have been targeting the PML-N and PPP leaders and workers in different parts of Punjab.

Earlier on Wednesday, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in a tweet asked the police not to “comply with Imran Niazi’s unlawful orders” to arrest the workers of PML-N and PDM, raid their homes or hinder their travel to Gujranwala.

https://twitter.com/NawazSharifMNS/status/1316403078929752067 

Also on Thursday, 24NewsHD reported that a list had been compiled in Lahore which mentioned the names of 425 party leaders and workers as miscreants.

The most prominent among them are Rana Sanaullah, Pervaiz Malik and his wife Shaista Pervaiz Malik as well as their son Ali Pervaiz Malik, Malik Afzal Khokhar and Waheed Alam Khan. 

Amid the ongoing crackdown, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has also been moved with a plea that every citizen enjoyed the constitutional right to protest.

Nasir Chohan, the petitioner, prayed the LHC to order the release of PML-N workers and noted that the arrests were in violation of Article 15 and 19 of the Constitution.

He also sought court intervention against the blocking roads by placing containers and barricades, and said the government had directed the police to stop the opposition leaders, workers and supporters from reaching the rally venue in Gujranwala.