MUZAFFARABAD: A peaceful sit-in being observed by the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in a border town of Muzaffarabad division for more than the past two months was uprooted by police in an overnight swoop, organisers said on Friday.

Video footage posted on social media showed Syed Zeeshan Haider Kazmi, a young PTI leader who had organised the camp in the town of Chinari, arguing with the police personnel who were led by the district police chief.

“We are peacefully observing this sit-in in accordance with our civil rights. We are not creating any law and order problem in the area then why this action is being taken,” he is heard telling the police, but to no avail.

“The police personnel did not listen to us and instead uprooted the canopies and their wooden under props and walked away with everything in the camp, including charpoys, tables and chairs, coolers, sound system, utensils and banner posters and pamphlets,” Mr Kazmi told Dawn on Friday.

He said the camp was set up by him some 62 days ago to voice support for his incarcerated leader Imran Khan.

During this period, he said, the PTI activists who had been regularly attending the camp also celebrated the anniversary of Syed Ali Geelani apart from observing other events, including the Independence Day of Pakistan.

However, what was believed to have irked the authorities was a rally which the PTI activists took out on Thursday from and to their sit-in camp to demand release of Mr Khan. The rally was followed by a cake-cutting ceremony in the camp to mark Mr Khan’s birthday.

Condemning the uprooting of “peaceful sit-in camp”, PTI’s regional president and former AJK prime minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi said in a statement that the step was “extremely unfortunate and against the interest of the state.”

“Imran Khan is the leader of the Muslim Ummah, expressing solidarity with him and holding peaceful protests for his release is our right which no one can take away,” he said.

He regretted that the step was taken by a government whose chief executive – Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq - and many cabinet members were claiming in media talks that they had not quit the PTI and were still part of it.

“Imran Khan is the benefactor of Kashmiris, as prime minister of Pakistan he provided ample funds for the liberated territory so as to make it prosperous. Should we forget our benefactor? Do we not have the right to express solidarity with our benefactor?”

He asked the government to return the items taken away by police and restore the sit-in camp in its previous position.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2023