In a drama that has unfolded in Islamabad, Rangers officials reportedly stormed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House to ‘catch’ KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday. According to statements made by party leaders, PTI officials said that it was done shortly after Gandapur arrived in the capital for protests where the party’s workers were already staging defiance against the government. PTI denounced the confrontation as an “exercise of authority” and alleged that authorities were making an arrest of the chief minister without any reason.
Contradictory news reports had been floating around that he was arrested. KP PTI deputy general secretary Nawaz Mehmood, however, clarified that the report was all false. However, sources claim he was arrested inside the KP House. Still, Mehmood confirmed the D-Chowk sit-in of PTI would go ahead as planned.
This escalation comes a day after intense battles in the capital between PTI supporters and police forces, during which over 100 PTI members have been reported arrested. Major roads connecting Islamabad to Rawalpindi were blocked for the second time in succession, utterly paralyzing life in both cities.
Mobile and internet services are still largely suspended in both cities.Legal Processings and Bail Updates
That said, Gandapur’s legal situation seems somehow complex, not the least because the Peshawar High Court accorded him protective bail until October 25, stopping Islamabad and Punjab law enforcement agencies from arresting him in some of the cases pertaining to his alleged offenses. Another Anti-Terrorism Court granted pre-arrest bail to him up to October 17.
Demonstrations by PTI have been carried out across Pakistan, from heavy police contingents to barriers, at D-Chowk, Islamabad and Minar-i-Pakistan, Lahore, among others. PTI Chairman Imran Khan requested protests and asked for a struggle for the cause of “Haqeeqi Azadi” or true freedom once again.
Government Response and Detentions
The federal government is taking a stern stance against the demonstrations of PTI. Interior Minister Naqvi announced the arrest of 120 Afghan nationals in the last 48 hours and claimed that 41 of them were accused of taking part in Friday’s clashes. He said that law enforcement officers were shot at near Pathargarh, which he insisted took place when Gandapur’s convoy was passing through, and Naqvi rejected the notion that the government would allow PTI to disrupt the much-hyped Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The government of Punjab has placed the army forces at every nook and corner of Lahore. The forces have been given the right to use their arms if required. Under Section 144, protest has been strictly banned; however, PTI still starts gathering around its activists.
Effects of Protests on Lives
Life in Islamabad and Rawalpindi continues to be substantially disrupted. Cities’ schools have been closed for In a drama that has unfolded in Islamabad, Rangers officials reportedly stormed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House to ‘catch’ KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Saturday. According to statements made by party leaders, PTI officials said that it was done shortly after Gandapur arrived in the capital for protests where the party’s workers were already staging defiance against the government. PTI denounced the confrontation as an “exercise of authority” and alleged that authorities were making an arrest of the chief minister without any reason.
Contradictory news reports had been floating around that he was arrested. KP PTI deputy general secretary Nawaz Mehmood, however, clarified that the report was all false. However, sources claim he was arrested inside the KP House. Still, Mehmood confirmed the D-Chowk sit-in of PTI would go ahead as planned.
This escalation comes a day after intense battles in the capital between PTI supporters and police forces, during which over 100 PTI members have been reported arrested. Major roads connecting Islamabad to Rawalpindi were blocked for the second time in succession, utterly paralyzing life in both cities.
Mobile and internet services are still largely suspended in both cities.Legal Processings and Bail Updates
That said, Gandapur’s legal situation seems somehow complex, not the least because the Peshawar High Court accorded him protective bail until October 25, stopping Islamabad and Punjab law enforcement agencies from arresting him in some of the cases pertaining to his alleged offenses. Another Anti-Terrorism Court granted pre-arrest bail to him up to October 17.
Demonstrations by PTI have been carried out across Pakistan, from heavy police contingents to barriers, at D-Chowk, Islamabad and Minar-i-Pakistan, Lahore, among others. PTI Chairman Imran Khan requested protests and asked for a struggle for the cause of “Haqeeqi Azadi” or true freedom once again.
Government Response and Detentions
The federal government is taking a stern stance against the demonstrations of PTI. Interior Minister Naqvi announced the arrest of 120 Afghan nationals in the last 48 hours and claimed that 41 of them were accused of taking part in Friday’s clashes. He said that law enforcement officers were shot at near Pathargarh, which he insisted took place when Gandapur’s convoy was passing through, and Naqvi rejected the notion that the government would allow PTI to disrupt the much-hyped Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The government of Punjab has placed the army forces at every nook and corner of Lahore. The forces have been given the right to use their arms if required. Under Section 144, protest has been strictly banned; however, PTI still starts gathering around its activists.
Effects of Protests on Lives
Life in Islamabad and Rawalpindi continues to be substantially disrupted. Cities’ schools have been closed for the second day, and most mobile and internet services remain blocked, causing a communication headache for the people. Movement between the twin cities, as well as into the twin cities at major entry points, has been severely choked off by containers.
Protests have also resulted in many skirmishes between the PTI supporters and police. In Rawalpindi, 200 PTI workers were booked under different sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Maintenance of Public Order after violent clashes with police personnel, in which police personnel were hurt and property was damaged.the second day, and most mobile and internet services remain blocked, causing a communication headache for the people. Movement between the twin cities, as well as into the twin cities at major entry points, has been severely choked off by containers.
Protests have also resulted in many skirmishes between the PTI supporters and police. In Rawalpindi, 200 PTI workers were booked under different sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Maintenance of Public Order after violent clashes with police personnel, in which police personnel were hurt and property was damaged.
