Despite ban, PTI adamant on protests

ISLAMABAD: The situation was tense twin cities as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Awami Muslim League (AML) announced to go ahead with the protests against PTI workers’ arrest despite ban over gatherings.

PTI Chief Imran Khan is meeting with key party leaders at his Bani Gala residence which is surrounded by the law enforcement agencies to prevent him from leaving to Rawalpindi.

The PTI chief weighed his options to thwart attempts by the government to stop him from addressing a political rally with AML chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday.

In Rawalpindi, roads leading to Lal Haveli have also been blocked by the city administration where the AML chief is to hold a protest rally after Friday prayers.

The clashes between PTI workers and police were reported from Rawalpindi where the PTI activists were pelting stones at the law enforcers.

Punjab Government spokesman, Zaeem Qadri told Geo News that law will take its course if anyone was found violating the ban.

Imran Khan has issued directives for all the party leaders and workers to reach Bani Gala on Friday. It was decided that if police placed the PTI chairman under house arrest, Imran Khan would come out of his residence with the protocol of his party workers.

The political climate in the federal capital has started to heat up ahead of PTI's 'Islamabad Lockdown' protest. On Thursday, police launched a crackdown against Insaf Students Federation workers who had gathered in Islamabad for a small protest.

Video footage showed police baton-charging and indulging in a verbal spat with party vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was demanding an explanation regarding the arrest of the ISF workers.