ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf General Secretary Jahangir Khan Tareen has claimed that thousands of PTI workers have been taken into custody in different parts of Punjab and Islamabad.

Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club here on Saturday, Mr Tareen also claimed that four to eight people had been killed and hundreds others injured during clashes between protesters and police.

He accused the Punjab police of committing state terrorism. Had the PTI leadership allowed the party workers to respond to alleged police high-handedness, the situation would have been very different, he said, adding that “we will not move back a single inch”.

Punjab police accused of committing state terrorism

Mr Tareen said the PTI had decided to suspend talks with the government unless it took some positive steps and that PPP leader Rehman Malik, who along with other opposition politicians had been playing the role of mediator, had been informed about the decision.

He accused police of arresting PTI workers without any reason, adding that even those merely holding flags of the party had been picked up. He claimed that 500 motorcycles had been impounded by police and 45 PTI supporters who were coming to Islamabad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were arrested near Faizabad on Friday.

He said that D.J. Butt, who ran the sound system at the PTI’s sit-in, and Azam Swati were among those arrested. He urged the Supreme Court to take notice of what he called the illegal arrest of PTI workers.

Mr Tareen said two weeks ago the PTI submitted an application for the registration of an FIR against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and the inspector general of Islamabad police over the killing of some protesters on the Constitution Avenue, but it had not registered yet. The party had decided to contact the district court on Monday for the registration of FIR under Section 22-A, he added.

In reply to a question, he said the PTI believes in peaceful protest and accused the government of committing state terrorism.

When asked about the status of talks before the party decided to suspend them, Mr Tareen said there was consensus on all points except two. “There were differences on the definition of rigging and the resignation of the prime minister.”

The PTI leader expressed sorrow over the loss caused by rains and floods in different parts of the country and said Imran Khan had visited Sialkot and would visit some other areas next week.

Talking about the incident occurred outside the district court on Saturday, PTI leader Arif Alvi said that he and some other leaders of the party reached the court at 11.30am after being informed that a magistrate had ordered to send arrested PTI workers to jail without giving them an opportunity to express their point of view.

He said police arrested a number of PTI workers who were protesting against the court’s decision.

PTI leaders Shafqat Mahmood, Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Asad Umar were present.

Our Lahore Reporter adds: The PTI claimed on Saturday that about 250 of its supporters had been arrested in Lahore.

Police, however, said that apart from picking up 65 suspects in a criminal case, no other arrests were made in the city.

Arrests were also reported in Gujranwala and Mianwali.

DIG Haider Ashraf said around 65 people had been arrested in the Liberty Market arson case registered a few days ago.

Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema of the PTI, who came to Islamabad on Saturday from Lahore, said police had violated people’s right to assemble and hold a peaceful protest.

“The arrest of 250 workers over the past 24 hours is an undemocratic reaction to our plan for peaceful protest. The uncalled for move has exposed so-called democratic credentials of the government,” he said.

According to our correspondents in Gujranwala and Mianwali, 40 activists of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek were arrested in Gujranwala and 40 PTI activists were picked up in Mianwali under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2014