Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has launched the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ against economic instability, and a crackdown on party leaders & workers from today in Lahore. During the first phase, senior party leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, former Punjab Governor Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Senator Waleed Iqbal, former provincial minister Murad Ras and 200 workers will come forward to be arrested.
According to the PTI spokesperson, if the government refuses to arrest them, PTI leaders will carry out a dharna at Mall Road Charing Cross. On Tuesday, February 21, the governing body of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Punjab Wing had a detailed meeting on the ‘Jail Bharo Movement’. President Lahore Wing Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood provided a detailed briefing to the participants and discussed the strategy to make the movement successful.
It was also decided that a ceremony would be held at the party office in honour of the senior leaders and workers who were arrested during the movement. Dr Yasmeen Rashid will also reach Charing Cross along with the PTI leaders and workers.
Punjab Government Strategy for Jail Bharo Tehreek
On the other hand, the caretaker government in Punjab has decided their strategy to handle the Jail Bharo Tehreek. The caretaker government has imposed Section 144 across Lahore for seven days. Protests and sit-ins are banned on major highways.
A meeting was arranged where the Chief Secretary and Inspector General (IG) Police and other officials discussed the PTI Jail Bharo movement. The Punjab government has directed not to arrest the workers involved in the Jail Bharo movement. PTI workers and leaders will be arrested if they breach the law.
The arrested workers will be transferred to Mianwali and Dera Ghazi Khan jails due to the lack of capacity in Lahore jails. PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the Movement from Lahore on February 17, 2023, during a video link speech.