LAHORE:The government authorities on Tuesday started sealing entry and exit points of Lahore ahead of long march of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The police put containers at the road leading from Lahore to Sheikhupura and closed Ravi River bridge. The government may also close Lahore-Islamabad Motorway. The latest reports say that heavy contingents of police is stationed at Thokar Niaz Baig and Babu Sabu interchange.
Earlier, Punjab police launched a crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers ahead of PTI long march during which one man and dozens of PTI workers were taken into custody, Dunya news reported on Monday.
Police raided the PTI leader and former Federal minister Hammad Azhar residence in Abu Bakar Block New Garden Town Lahore on late Monday night to arrest him. Police allegedly used ladder to enter the house of Hammad Azhar. However, police failed in its attempt to arrest Hammad Azhar as he was not present at home at the time of police raid.
Police arrested several PTI workers from outside Hammad Azhar’s house. In Lahore, police also raided PTI leader Mian Aslam Iqbal and arrested his brother Mian Afzal Iqbal. The residences of Senator Ijaz Chaudhry, Senator Waleed Iqbal, MPA Saadia Sohail and PTI leader Jamshaid Cheema were also raided by police.
In Sialkot, police raided the houses of PTI leaders Firdous Ashiq Awan and Usman Dar to arrest them but they were not present at their residences at the time of police raid. Police also reached the Lal Havaili, the residence of Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, to arrest Sheikh Rashid and his nephew MNA Rashid Shafique but they were not there.
Police also raided former provincial law minister Raja Bisharat residence but he was not present there. Raja Bisharat in a video message after the police raid said that the PTI long march could not be stopped.