PTI faces crackdown: Dozens arrested amid nationwide rallies ahead of polls

Law enforcement agencies detained numerous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers on Sunday as the party organized rallies nationwide in response to founder Imran Khan's call, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel. 

The authorities raided the activists and offices of the PTI leader responsible for holding rallies, campaigning, and other election-related activities.

The development comes as PTI workers, in response to the party founder Imran Khan's call, were holding rallies across the country with electioneering activities being held in various cities including Lahore, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Rawalpindi.

https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1751480851374682392

The PTI leaders criticized the ruling elite for showing bias against PTI leaders and workers. They lamented that it is being subjected to a crackdown with the authorities not even sparing women and children who were part of the rallies.

Despite the looming electoral process, law enforcement agencies have escalated their crackdown on PTI activists engaged in election activities.

Despite facing adversity, PTI activists actively organized electioneering events in key cities such as Lahore, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Rawalpindi, demonstrating their commitment to political engagement amidst challenging circumstances.

https://twitter.com/PTIofficial/status/1751569593368289424

The police also used baton charges, aerial firing, and tear gas to disperse the party workers, including women, who had gathered at several places to express solidarity with the former premier Imran Khan.

According to details, the police conducted raids in Rawalpindi’s Jatli area, arresting at least one dozen PTI workers.

In Rawalpindi's NA-56 constituency, PTI activists took out a rally that concluded on Saidpur Road amid tight security. The participants raised slogans against the government and displayed PTI flags along with images of Imran Khan.

Separately, as many as 17 PTI workers were also arrested in Peshawar for interfering with government affairs. They were arrested and halted by the police on Ring Road.

 In Karachi, PTI organised a rally in the Clifton area, where the police took more than 50 activists into custody.

https://twitter.com/PTIKarachi_/status/1751592535284490740

In a post on PTI's Lahore social media platform X, multiple videos showed a large number of people coming out in support of the party. "Rallies are being held everywhere. Despite police brutality, no one will be able to save the runaway Nawaz on February 8." said a tweet.

Earlier in the day, former federal minister and PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that his elderly father, former Punjab governor Mian Azhar was "arrested" by the police before an election rally.

https://twitter.com/Hammad_Azhar/status/1751501697963135107

In a post on social media platform X, Hammad said that his 82-year-old father, an independent candidate supported by PTI running for the NA-129 constituency, intended to "exercise his democratic and constitutional right by leading a rally".

 "Pakistan has today been reduced to a total fascist state with zero human rights or rule of law. One Nawaz Sharif & his daughter calling the shots and ruining the country."

As the elections approach near, the party encounters significant obstacles due to an apparent rise in authoritative actions by the state apparatus, particularly in Punjab, the nation's largest province.

Facing a lack of equitable opportunities, PTI has resorted to an innovative approach, utilising the internet and social media for their election campaign.

Following an unsuccessful legal battle to protect its iconic election symbol "bat," the party has sequentially launched websites to assist voters in identifying PTI-backed candidates and their respective symbols.

Commenting on the incident, PTI's arch-rival Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) termed the former as a "terrorist" entity with the party's Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif calling for the authorities to deal with the PTI workers with "iron hands".