Cop killed as crackdown on PTI leaders, workers intensifies

A police constable was killed by the firing of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s workers who were resisting their arrest when the authorities raided their place in Model Town, Lahore during a countrywide crackdown on PTI leaders and workers, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.

According to details, police raided the house of PTI activist Sajid in Model Town. But the PTI workers started firing from the roof of the house. A bullet hit constable Kamal Ahmad in the chest. He was immediately taken to the General Hospital where he was succumbed to his bullet wound and breathed his last.

Father, son held for killing cop 

Meanwhile, police on Tuesday arrested father and son who fired upon police constable Kamal Ahmad and killed him. 

According to sources, police nabbed accused Akram and his father Sajid and others for killing the police constable. They also recovered weapons from the possession of the accused. 

Police said that after a forensic analysis and investigation, police could reach the real murderers. 

Sources said that police have arrested more than 150 PTI activists. They have got a list of 750 PTI workers, they said adding that the detained workers would be sent to jail under MPO 16. 

Maryam blames Imran for constable's death 

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz lashed out at PTI Chief Imran Khan and held him responsible for the death of a police constable. 

In her tweet, Maryam wrote: “Today, due to Troublemaker’s (Imran) greed for power, a mother has lost her son and a scion of Pakistan was martyred mercilessly. Those who have been threatening a ‘bloody march’ for days, they have now put into action their vile plan. Those who fire bullets at the defenders of the nation, they do not deserve any mercy and concession.” 

آج فتنے کی کُرسی کی لالچ کی وجہ سے ایک ماں کا لختِ جگر اس سے الگ ہوگیا اور پاکستان کا بیٹا بے دردی سے شہید کر دیا گیا۔کئی دنوں سے ریاست کو 'خونی انقلاب' کی دھمکیاں دینے والوں نے آج سے اپنے ناپاک منصوبے کا آغاز کردیا ہے۔قوم کے محافظوں پر گولیاں برسانے والے کسی رعایت کے مستحق نہیں pic.twitter.com/HLcnDIvoi4

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) May 24, 2022

Fawad warns govt against illegal raids 

Reacting to Maryam’s tweet, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry lashed out at government for conducting illegal raids while defending the action of the house owner who is an ex-army man. 

In his tweet, he said: “There will be a trial for this murder. There has been another addition to the crimes being committed by your family. It is a crime to use the police for illegal raids and for political objectives. When police entered the houses of ex-army men, what they would do? What would be their reaction?”

اس قتل کا ٹرائیل ہو گا آپ کے خاندان کے جرائم میں ایک اور اضافہ ہوا ہے، پولیس کو غیر قانونی ریڈ کے لئے اور سیاسی مقاصد کیلئے استعمال کرنا جرم ہے آدھی رات کو سابق فوجیوں کے گھر زبردستی داخل ہوں وہ کیا کریں گے ان کا ردعمل کیا ہو گا؟ #امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور #حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ https://t.co/NaJBTeRaxm

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 24, 2022

https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1528993753414963202

Asad Umar condemns crackdown 

Former development minister Asad Umar condemned the raids and arrests of the PTI workers saying that it seemed that the government was scared of their long march.

Taking to his twitter handle, Asad Umar said: “Illegal arrests, raids on houses and trampling of house sanctity - the result of all these things has come out in the shape of heightened sense of enthusiasm and passion among the party workers. Anyone I have been contacting since last night, he appears to be more enthusiastic. The trembling and shacking imported government looks scared.”

غیر قانونی گرفتاریاں، گھروں پر چھاپے، چادر چاردیواری پامال... اس سب کا نتیجہ یہ نکلا ہے کے کارکنوں اور عوام کا جوش اور جذبہ مزید بلند. کل رات سے جس سے رابطہ ہوتا ہے وہ اور پرجوش ہے. لرزتی، کانپتی امپورٹڈ حکومت خوفزدہ نظر آ رہی ہے #حقیقی_آزادی_مارچ

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) May 24, 2022

Police in Islamabad and other areas of Punjab have launched a crackdown to arrest the PTI activists ahead of the party’s May 25 Long March on Islamabad.

On Monday night, police raided the house of former energy minister Hammad Azhar but could not arrest him as he was not present in his house.

Protesting against the PTI activists’ arrests, former Punjab health minister Yasmeen Rashid staged a sit-in. 

The authorities apprehended MNA Saifur Rehman from Karachi. 

There are also reports of the arrest of another PTI MNA Ataullah Khan.

In Kamyari, Karachi, police took the father of MPA Shah Nawaz Jadoon. 

Meanwhile, the Islamabad administration has sealed the Red Zone and set up containers at the D-Chowk for security purposes on Monday night.

The federal government has prepared a plan to deal with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Long March participants.

As per the plan, a total of 22,000 personnel will be deployed for the security as Islamabad administration has called troops from other provinces.

The sources said 8,000 personnel of the Punjab Constabulary, and 2,000 personnel of the Anti-Riot Force were summoned to deal with the PTI protesters.

The sources said the Islamabad administration has also called 2,000 police personnel from Sindh while a total of 500 female police officers will also perform security duties.

The sources said 4,000 Rangers personnel were also called in to deal with the sit-in participants as well as 100 prisoner wagons have also been called from different provinces.

As many as 15,000 tear gas shells were also acquired to disperse the lawbreakers.

On the other hand, the Punjab government has made a plan to stop the long march at Jhelum as police have started capturing containers to block the GT Road from both sides of the Bridge of Jhelum River.

The government has also halted containers in Attock city at the GT Road to block the route of the long march participants.

It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a meeting of the federal cabinet to address the issue of Imran Khan’s long march later today.

123 PTI workers held in Lahore 

The police crackdown on the PTI workers in Lahore is continued as the authorities have apprehended 123 of its workers from the Punjab capital during last 12 hours.

The administration has issued one-month detention orders for the PTI workers held under the MPO 16. 

To evade their arrest, all the PTI leaders have gone underground. They have switched off their mobiles too. 

The Lahore police have prepared lists of 743 PTI activists. Sources said that the party workers lying in B and C categories, they could be arrested. The names of A category PTI activists are also included in the lists, they added. 

Today, police conducted raids and arrested workers from different areas of Lahore including Samanabad, Iqbal Town, Barki Road, Millat Park, North Cantt, Ghaziabad, Defence and Manawa. 

The arrested also included people who were sound system and meal service providers. Besides them, the vice chairmen and councilors belonging to the PTI were also arrested. 

Lahore Metro Bus service limited 

In the backdrop of forthcoming PTI long march, the administration has limited the service of the Metro Bus in Lahore 

The service has been limited to the MAO College only. It will run between Gajumata and MAO College. But its service will remain shut between MAO College and Shahdra. 

85 people arrested from Multan 

Police continued raids in Multan region to nab the PTI workers. So far 85 activists have been arrested.

The teams of police and special branch across the region are active to detain the workers. The administration has prepared a list of more than 150 PTI workers to arrest them.

Faisalabad crackdown 

The PTI workers in Faisalabad, the native city of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, are also facing a widespread crackdown. 

The arrests will be made under the MPO 16. Police are conducting massive raids in different areas of the city. 

The security at the International Airport, Faisalabad has been beefed up. 

The PTI leaders are required to get the No Objection Certificate prior to their departure to other foreign countries. According to a notification issued by the Interior Ministry, no PTI leader could leave the country without obtaining the NCO. 

The 

The high security alert has been issued for the entry and exit points at the city airport. 

On the other hand, Faisalabad police failed to detain any PTI leader. 

The Security Branch has prepared a list of 500 PTI activists and dispatched it to all the SHOs of the city. 

The police teams kept on conducting raids but the apprehensive PTI leadership already went underground. 

Police arrest 10-year-old PTI supporter 

Police in a shock arrest, apprehended a ten-year-old boy when they raided the house of a local PTI leader, Luqman Chaudhry, in the vicinity of Jhumra police station in Faisalabad. 

Mr Chaudhry blamed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah for the arrest of his young son. 

A CCTV footage also emerged of the incident in which it could be seen that a child wearing black shirt was being arrested by the police. 

Karachi crackdown

The Karachi administration is also conducting raids to capture the PTI leaders and workers in the metropolitan city.

According to MPA Raja Azhar, police detained member of National Assembly and PTI general secretary Saifur Rehman Mehsood. 

He said that authorities raided MNA Mehsood’s house and arrested him. They took him to an unknown place, Azhar said adding that a large contingent of police entered the house of MPA and PTI Karachi President Bilal Ghaffar. 

Mr Azhar denounced the police action saying they violated the sanctity and security of house. 

PTI MPA beseeches SHC to take notice of crackdown

On Monday night, police also raided the house of MPA Saeed Afridi.  

However, the enraged Mr Afridi, submitted a petition in the Sindh High Court on Tuesday requesting the court to take notice of the arbitrary raids and arrests of the PTI members by Sindh police. 

Section 144 imposed in Punjab, Sindh 

Meanwhile, the Sindh Home Ministry on Tuesday imposed Section 144 across the province banning rallies, meetings and public gathering. 

A gathering involving more than five people at one place has been outlawed. The administration has imposed Sec 144 for a month in the context of deteriorating security situation in the province. 

Section 144 was also imposed across the Punjab province.

Narowal dist bar member arrested 

Police arrested PTI activist and senior member of Narowal District Bar Muhammad Tayyab.

Police broke open the lock of the house of Mr Tayyab and captured him. A large police contingent came to arrest the PTI activist. 

 Jhelum swoop 

 Police launched a late at night swoop in district Jhelum yesterday. 

The authorities succeeded in capturing more than 30 PTI activists from Jhelum which is native city of former information minister Fawad Chaudhry. 

According to some media reports, in order to evade his arrest, Fawad Ch left Islamabad and went to Jhelum.

Sources said that the detained workers were shifted to an unknown place by the police. 

Shafqat Mehmood at Press Club

A heavy contingent of police arrived at Lahore Press Club on Tuesday raising possibility that they were there to arrest PTI leaders Shafqat Mehmood, Raja Yasir Humayun and others.

DIG Operations and other police officers were present outside the press club.

Lal Haveli raid

Former interior minister Sheih Rashid Ahmed claimed that the police raided his Lal Havel and arrested six people from there.

The police also cut off the internet and electricity connections to the Lal Haveli.

Hamza Shehbaz attends cop’s funeral

The funeral of the policeman who was shot dead by PTI activists in Lahore’s Model Town on Tuesday morning was offered in the afternoon at Police Lines.

Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, senior government officials, police officers and a large number of people attended the funeral of Shaheed Constable Kamal Ahmad.

Reporters Irfan Malik, Dar Nayab, Yasir Majid, Daniyal Syed, Bilal Ahmad, Azad Nahrio, Imran Aslam, Tayyab Maqbool, Waqas Ahmad Baig, Yasir Arafat and Amir Kiyani