— Vice chairperson Qureshi, secretary general Umar, and his deputy Swati force themselves into prison van

— Former PM Khan says movement key to achieving ‘sovereign and prosperous’ Pakistan

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), including deputy chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and secretary general Asad Umar, gave themselves up for arrest on Wednesday as the opposition party launched the much-touted court arrest drive from Lahore to protest what it views as an “attack” on the fundamental rights and the economic decline under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government.

Fawad Chaudhry, senior vice president of the party, said in a video message that around 500-700 workers surrendered themselves for arrest, while the police arrived with prison vans but were “worried after seeing the thousands of people and contemplating what they should do.”

Pakistan Today was able to verify the PTI leaders forced themselves into the prison van, and there were no reports of arrests so far by the police.

Separately, the party said the campaign would carry on and extend to multiple cities throughout Pakistan, pending the government’s announcement of the general election date.

In his statement, Chaudhry expressed gratitude towards party supporters and workers for their response and declared the movement would move forward. It will be launched in Peshawar on Thursday, followed by Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Sargodha, and Sahiwal.

The industrial and distribution centre of Faisalabad will join the movement on March 1.

Chaudhry added the protest would be limited to Lahore on Wednesday and would continue until the evening before moving to Peshawar.

In a series of tweets, former prime minister Imran Khan said the Jail Bharo campaign for Haqeeqi Azaadi (real freedom) is a non-violent protest aimed at countering alleged constitutional violations.

He also cited “sham FIRs and NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists and social media people” as reasons for the campaign.

The chairman of the PTI party additionally emphasised that the campaign was targeted at those responsible for the economic downturn, declaring that a “cabal of crooks” had “money laundered billions in looted wealth” while burdening the poor and middle class with “spiralling inflation and rising unemployment.”

The campaign comes amid a wider political turmoil in Pakistan and represents a challenge to the ruling coalition.

Separately, in a video message shared on the party’s Twitter account, Khan urged citizens to participate in the campaign, which he described as “the name of jihad”.

He believes the movement is the key to achieving a “sovereign and prosperous Pakistan” by protecting citizens’ fundamental rights. Khan is urging more people to join the movement, as he believes it will expedite the country’s path towards “true freedom.”

Earlier in the day, Qureshi, while speaking to the press, said he has decided to “defy” Khan’s suggestion to not turn himself in, in order to set a tradition for the party leaders to give arrest before the workers.

The former foreign minister also expressed his concerns regarding the PML-N’s campaign against the judiciary and called on the legal fraternity to not remain silent and take responsibility. He criticised its leadership for insulting respected judges and creating obstacles in their paths.

PROTESTS, PUBLIC GATHERINGS BANNED IN LAHORE

In the morning, the interim government of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Punjab implemented Section 144 — which prohibits assemblies, sit-ins, and processions — in several locations — including The Mall, Gulberg Main Boulevard, and neighbourhoods surrounding the Punjab Civil Secretariat — for a week.

The drive, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan declared, is an “attempt to create political instability and law and order issues” in the country.

The minister also accused the PTI of seeking media attention through the “court arrest drive,” and the meeting participants agreed to ensure that law and order would be maintained and miscreants would be arrested.

He clarified that women and poor workers would not be targeted and that the record of the miscreants would be maintained for future reference.

The movement began at 2:00 pm following a meeting to honour party members, after which party supporters marched towards The Mall, where Section 144 was imposed, via Jail Road, to give themselves up for arrests.

Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, the focal person for the campaign, said that over 2,000 volunteers have signed up for the drive in Lahore alone, with leaders contesting by-polls on the party platform not partaking in the movement.

— This is a developing story and will be updated as the situation develops