Islamabad: Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have said that PTI workers are being stopped while preparing for their protest at D-Chowk of Islamabad on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference, PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the federal government was using methods of dictatorship to stop their protest.
He said threats were being made to the people who were setting up protest camps in Rawalpindi.
The PTI leader added that hurdles were being created in the way of the party workers, coming to Islamabad from different parts of the country, for the protest.
Meanwhile PTI leader Dr Shireen Mazari also claimed that the Punjab government was taking measures to stop people from attending the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) anti-rigging rally set to take place Sunday in Islamabad.
The Islamabad city administration has reportedly placed containers to cordon off the Red Zone of the city ahead of Sunday’s rally at Express Chowk. All four entry points of the Red Zone have been sealed.
Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah denied these allegations and said that they were baseless.
He claimed that bus stations were not closed and services were operational. “No restrictions have been placed by the government but no one will be allowed to enter with firearms as mentioned in the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued to the party,” he continued.
“Intelligence agencies have informed us of a security threat on the two rallies taking place tomorrow and placed them on red alert,” said Sanuallah.
Mazari, while talking to a private news channel, alleged that the Faisalabad administration has closed down all bus stands, preventing people from travelling to Islamabad for the rally. The decision was taken on Friday night in a meeting between traffic police and transporters. The administration reportedly advised transporters to halt bus services to Islamabad, Lahore and South Punjab and hence all bus stands have been closed since this morning.
The PTI leader claimed that she has received reports from Multan, Sargodha, Silakot, Mandi Bahauddin and Lahore regarding police pressurising bus drivers not to take PTI supporters to the rally.
According to her, obstacles were being created, pressure was being used and threats were being made to stop party workers and supporters from attending the rally.
“Our workers in Rawalpindi have been threatened by the police,” she said. “Police and Intelligence Bureau are going to workers’ houses and harassing them,” she continued.
She also said that bus owners who were hired to transport supporters to Islamabad have refused to do so claiming that government has threatened to cancel their permits if they provide transportation to PTI supporters.
However, despite these hindrances, Mazari was confident that workers will attend the rally. “Our workers believe in our cause and they will reach no matter what,” she said.
