LAHORE
\nPolice on Saturday baton-charged and arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers including Mian Shehzad Farooq in connection with the protests being carried out in different parts of the country including Lahore by the party workers against alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections.
\nThe PTI workers and lawyers are protesting in areas including Shahdara, GPO Chowk at Mall Road, and outside the commissioner\u2019s office against the \u201crigging\u201d carried out in the polls with the party alleging that their mandate has been stolen.
\nPakistan underwent general elections on February 8 this year which were rejected by many parties including the PTI and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). The independent candidates affiliated with the Imran Khan-founded party won the election race as over 90 leaders emerged victorious.
\nThe winning candidates later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) to claim the seats reserved for female candidates and minorities.
\nThe party had decided to carry out protests across Lahore today amid heavy police deployment at the GPO Chowk where the PTI spokesperson said the main protest would take place.
\nThe police have also been deployed outside the Lahore High Court (LHC) and party\u2019s office at Jail Road. During the protests, the police used baton charges to disperse the enraged PTI workers.
\nThe PTI\u2019s spokesperson said that they would hold demonstrations in all constituencies of Lahore.
\nEarlier in the day, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Ali Nasir Rizvi visited GPO Chowk and PTI\u2019s office at Jail Road, saying that no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
\n\u201cWe will take action against those who even touch a policeman\u2019s uniform. We will not allow anyone to destroy the peace of the city,\u201d said DIG Rizvi.
\nMeanwhile, workers belonging to the Insaf Lawyers Forum have been protesting outside the LHC. The police pushed them inside the court and locked the gate.
\nPTI rally towards Islamabad changes route. Meanwhile, PTI\u2019s Sher Afzal Marwat, who was leading a rally from Peshawar to Islamabad, decided to change its route towards Rawalpindi.
\nThe rally will now enter Islamabad from Purodhai to IJP Road in Rawalpindi. It reached Chowrangi No 4 after passing through Raja Bazaar and Fawwara Chowk.
\n\u2018Peaceful\u2019 protest interrupted by police, state machinery
\nPTI spokesperson said that their \u201cpeaceful protest\u201d was interrupted by state machinery and law enforcement officials. \u201cThe people have taken to the streets to take back their stolen mandate,\u201d he added.
\nHe said that \u201cunconstitutional\u201d obstacles in the way of protests shows fear and cowardice, adding that they will not accept the \u201crigged\u201d elections through Form 47.
\nThe spokesperson said that the PTI will continue its struggle to claim its stolen mandate back.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE Police on Saturday baton-charged and arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers including Mian Shehzad Farooq in connection with the protests being carried out in different parts of the country including Lahore by the party workers against alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections. The PTI workers and lawyers are protesting in areas including Shahdara, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-391008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-top-news"],"yoast_head":"\n