PTI leaders court arrest as ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ kicks off

LAHORE: The ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement) on the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan kicked off on Wednesday when PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi presented himself for arrest.

Qureshi volunteered his arrest while entering a prison van near the Lahore CCPO office after which other senior leaders of the party, including Asad Umar, Azam Swati, and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, followed him. Later, they were sent to Kot Lakhpat Jail.

Talking to the media, the PTI vice chairman said ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ had peaceful motives. He said the PTI did not want any instability in the country, adding that registration of a fake case against anyone was not fair.

He said party Chairman Imran Khan had asked him not to volunteer himself for arrest as he had a senior position in the party. A large number of PTI workers gathered at Charing Cross at The Mall from different parts of Lahore to present themselves for arrest.

On the other hand, the Home Department had imposed Section 144 in the provincial capital.

Due to the lack of space in Lahore prisons, most of them would be prisoners who are likely to be sent to Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan prisons.

PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid, while talking to the media, said that the PTI workers’ enthusiasm for the movement was remarkable. She said the entire party was siding with Imran Khan like a rock.

According to senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, so far more than 500 party workers had volunteered themselves for arrest. The police contingents deployed to stop the mob had become upset to see the enthusiasm of PTI workers.

Meanwhile, PTI Central President and former Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said in a statement that ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ was for safeguarding the Constitution and the election.

The PTI workers by voluntarily courting arrest are struggling for real freedom, he said, adding that the government should know that there was no other way than holding the election. The PTI president said people and the party workers were ready to go to jail on Imran Khan’s call.

The rulers were playing with the Constitution and paving the way for Article 6 for themselves, he said.

People are with Imran Khan and this fear is stopping the Pakistan Democratic Movement from holding elections, Elahi added.