Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry slammed a crackdown on party leaders and workers, saying the action aimed at sabotaging the political gathering of his party at Minar-e-Pakistan tonight.
In a series of tweets, the former information minister said: “Hundreds of people have been arrested, roads are blocked, police raided hundreds of houses and entered into the house without warrants only to sabotage todays Jalsa in Lahore. This all is happening in the month of Ramadan”.
He also urged the international community and especially Islamic countries to condemn abductions and killings of political workers in the holy month of Ramadan. He said the government should be declared “persona non grata for their fascists tactics”.
His reactions comes as authorities have blocked various roads, including entry and exit points, in the Punjab capital to thwart the PTI political gathering.
All roads leading to the Minar-i-Pakistan have been barricaded by parking trucks carrying shipping containers while Ravi bridge and Thokar Niaz Baig – the two major entry and exit points – have also been closed for traffic.
The measures to prevent the political gathering have caused hurdles for commuters, who are heading to their jobs.
The areas where containers have been placed include Shah Alam Market, Bansawala Bazar, Railways Stations, and others.
Meanwhile, police have arrested several PTI leaders and workers in a wide-scale crackdown in various cities across the country. PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said a massive crackdown on party activists was launched in Islamabad. He said even injured party workers had been arrested.
Police conducted late night raids to arrest the PTI workers and leaders in Lahore, Vehari, Burewala, Bhakar, Mian Channu and other cities.
