Pakistan: Police in Punjab province continue crackdown against PTI workers

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 25 (ANI): Police in Pakistan's Punjab province continue their crackdown against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and has arrested several activists and local leaders, ARY News reported on Friday.
The police conducted a raid at PTI senior leader Mehtab Hussain's residence in Lahore. He was, however, not present at his home.
The police in Multan arrested the son of former MPA Javed Akhtar Ansari in a raid and arrested PTI workers across the district.
The residence of Arslan Butt, a former staff officer of Shahbaz Gill was also raided by the police in Burewala but he was not present at his home, according to ARY News.
Moreover, police teams also arrested several PTI workers during raids in other cities including Mian Channu, Lodhran, Vehari and Faisalabad.
Recently, a total of 316 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members were arrested for allegedly attacking police officers and causing chaos outside the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) when party chairman Imran Khan appeared for the court hearing, Dawn reported.
On March 18, after Khan arrived at FJC for the Toshakhana case, protesters and police clashed for hours long.
In the violent confrontation, a contingent of law enforcers and PTI supporters used anti-riot gear against each other, with teargas shells lobbed by both sides to push the opposing side back. PTI supporters allegedly pelted the police with stones while also lobbing petrol bombs, setting their vehicles on fire.
The Islamabad police filed an FIR, including terrorism charges, against Khan and dozens of PTI leaders, according to Dawn.
In a tweet on Wednesday, the police accused PTI supporters of "incitement, arson, vandalism [and] attacks on police".
"Incitement of PTI protesters, arson, vandalism, attacks on police. Islamabad Capital Police has so far arrested 316 suspects in various operations. Police teams are raiding for more arrests. The process of identification of all the suspects involved in the incident with the help of cameras is also going on," police said in a tweet.
"The persons arrested in violent incidents are also being reported to other districts so that the persons wanted in other districts can be handed over to them. Information about government employees involved in violent acts is being sent to their respective departments so that departmental action is also taken," it added.
The Islamabad police said the previous police records of all the accused were also being obtained. Public servants active on social media, who were allegedly involved in provocative activities, were being identified so that departmental action could be taken, police said, adding that information about employees of private institutions and companies involved in terrorist activities was also being sought. (ANI)