Over 1200 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers, including members of national and provincial assemblies, were in the Multan division of Pakistan, as the former Prime Minister Imran Khan-founded party was gearing up for its massive nationwide protests.
Around 1257 workers have been detained, with over 200 detained while marching towards Islamabad in response to the party’s call, as reported by ARY News.
Those detained include leaders such as Zain Qureshi, Amir Doggar, Nadeem Qureshi, Waseem Badozai, Moinuddin Qureshi, and Rana Tufail Noon.
The arrests were made near Qadirpur Raan, where PTI members of the assembly and other leaders and workers had gathered to start their march towards Islamabad from outside a local hotel.
According to the ARY news, the arrests were made while PTI leaders were leading a convoy to Islamabad for the protest on Sunday. The arrests were made amid heightened political tensions and preparations for PTI protests across the country.
Authorities have sealed the entry and exit points of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and police conducted raids throughout the night to detain party workers.
PTI had announced to hold a countrywide protest on Sunday on the call of its founder, Imran Khan. The party has been actively preparing for this protest, despite the government’s efforts to prevent it.
Police conducted raids throughout the night in a crackdown against party workers.
Notably, mobile and internet services are expected to remain suspended in several areas of Pakistan, especially in Islamabad, ARY News reported.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said that mobile internet services will be halted starting November 22, with firewalls being implemented to reduce internet speeds and disrupt access to social media apps.
The sources also indicated that authorities could shut down internet and mobile services in certain areas based on the evolving situation.
Earlier, Section 144 was imposed in Rawalpindi due to reports of potential unrest ahead of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest. This decision was made during a district intelligence committee meeting chaired by Rawalpindi DC Hassan Waqar Cheem.
The notification stated that public gatherings, rallies, and assemblies of more than four people have been prohibited in Rawalpindi due to reports of potential ‘unrest,’ ‘extremism,’ and ‘terrorism.’ The decision came in the wake of Imran Khan’s call for nationwide protests on November 24.
