Pakistan: PTI demands immediate release of detained workers

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 20 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan and party leader Fawad Chaudhary have demanded the immediate release of the PTI workers detained by the police for rioting at Zaman Park in Lahore and outside the Islamabad Judicial complex on Saturday.

"Fascism is at its peak in Islamabad where the police are raiding the houses without warrants to arrest our workers. Children as young as 10 are being picked up when the workers are not at home. All our workers and their children who have been kidnapped should be released immediately," Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted demanding the immediate release of the detained party workers.

PTI leader and Former Minister Fawad Chaudhary released a video statement demanding the release of party workers.

Fawad Chaudhary also warned the Police that they have called for "Divine Punishment" because they allegedly took 10-year-olds into custody and "oppressed" women to make their "political bosses happy".

In the video statement, Chaudhary said, "Homes of Hundreds of PTI workers are being raided right now. And hundreds are in police custody. I want to warn Punjab IG and Lahore IG that you are inviting Azab-e-Ilahi, (Divine punishment). You have taken children as small as 10 years in custody. You have oppressed women."

"The only fault of the people of PTI is that they are standing to fight crime, for their rights and for making Pakistan a modern democratic state. What you are doing is against the law and the constitution of Pakistan. You are crossing all limits to make your political bosses happy," he added.

Further, pointing out the helplessness of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Chaudhary said, "The arrests begin as soon as we talk about a rally or a procession. Also, there is no gain in asking anything from the Election commission of Pakistan. The election commission clearly says that they have nothing in their hands".

According to Dawn, 102 PTI workers were detained and a Lahore court on Sunday directed the police to present them before an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday, a day after they were arrested during the raid that took place at PTI Chairman Imran Khan's Zaman Park residence when the police forced its way into his house.

The FIR lodged at Lahore's Race Course Police Station stated that as soon as the Elite Force's car arrived at Canal Road near Zaman Park, "around 100-150 PTI workers armed with fire weapons [and] sticks came in front altogether and forcefully stopped the government vehicle".

The FIR alleged that the workers hit the car with sticks and caused great damage.