• PTI commenced the “Jail Bahro’ movement from Lahore
• Senior PTI leadership surrendered themselves before arrest
• Imran Khan released a message for PTI workers

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) kicked of the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” on Wednesday to court arrest and fill up prisons as part of protest drive against the government.

In the first phase, PTI senior leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Senator Walid Iqbal along with party workers voluntarily surrendered themselves before Lahore police.

A large number of party activists gathered at Charring Cross, Mall Road, where Police arrested them for violation of Section 144 imposed to control the law and order situation.

Many party’s senior leaders including Qureshi, Umar, Swati and activists boarded a prison van. Police said the arrest were voluntary and the party leaders sat inside the prison van on their own discretion.

Several other PTI leaders also climbed onto the police vehicle. The PTI workers then got down from the police van and made their way toward Charing Cross.

Several PTI workers, including women, were also present outside the CCPO building and many lay on the road, demanding that they be arrested. Police barred party activists entering the Capital City Police Office (CCPO).

Imran releases message

In his message, PTI chairman Imran Khan said there were two main reasons for the campaign that aimed at achieving ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ [real freedom].

“One, it is a peaceful, non-violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights,” he said in tweet. “Two, it is against the economic meltdown brought on by cabal of crooks who have money laundered billions in looted wealth & gotten NROs for themselves,” he said,

He added that the government’s policies have crushed the poor and middle class “under the burden of spiraling inflation & rising unemployment”.

Today we start our Jail Bharo campaign for Haqeeqi Azadi for 2 main reasons. One, it is a peaceful, non violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights.We are facing sham FIRs & NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists & social

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— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 22, 2023

Imran Khan also released a video message urging party workers to “fill up prisons and shatter the idols of fear”. He urged them to take to the streets for “true freedom”.

#جیل_بھرو__زندان_بھرو pic.twitter.com/YgMLzFIlNU

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 22, 2023

Voluntary arrests

Speaking from inside the police van, PTI Vice Chairman Qureshi said that it was a matter of great pride that he was the first to give himself up for arrest as promised earlier.

“This movement will continue until the imported government puts an end to the lawlessness in the country” and is held accountable for the last ten months in the people’s court, he said.

PTI Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that numerous party leaders including Qureshi, Omar, Ejaz Chaudhry have given themselves up for arrest.

He said around 500-700 PTI workers have given themselves up for arrest along with the PTI leaders. He said police arrived with prison vans but were “worried after seeing the thousands of people” and did not take action.

He thanked PTI workers for their response and said the movement would move forward< He said the protest would be limited to Lahore and would move to Peshawar tomorrow

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