Barrister Gohar, Salman Akram Raja released after brief arrest in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Salman Akram Raja have been released after their brief detention on Saturday.

Earlier, Rawalpindi police arrested Barrister Gohar and Salman Akram Raja from the H-13 sector while they were on their way to Rawalpindi, where the former ruling party announced a protest.

In another development, police arrested PTI local leader Samabia Tahir amid the crackdown against party workers and leaders for violating Section 144 imposed in the Rawalpindi Divison on Saturday and Sunday.

The development comes when PTI supporters and leaders on the direction of founder Imran Khan marched to stage a demonstration in Rawlpindi’s Liaquat Bagh area, which was initially planned as a rally.

Section 144 imposed

The Punjab government has imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in Rawalpindi Division for two days prohibiting all political gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, protests, and similar activities in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, and Chakwal districts.

In response to the planned protest, thousands of police officers have been deployed at various locations. City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani cancelled the leave of the officers ordering all personnel to be on duty.

“Extraordinary security measures have been taken to ensure peace in the city and nobody will be allowed to stage any protest,” a police official said.

Since last night, police have initiated a series of raids and door-to-door searches to apprehend PTI leaders and active supporters to keep them away from the protests.

Apart from that, police have completely sealed all major intersections in the Twin Cities. Police have placed containers in 25 places across Rawalpindi including Faizabad Interchange, Kacha Stop, Gulzar-e-Quaid, Shamsabad, Faizabad, IJP Road, Double Road, Kattarian Bridge, Pandora Chowk, and Khanna Bridge.

In Islamabad, locations including T Chowk, Korral, Khanna, Faizabad, IJP Junction, 26 Number, Golra Mor, B-17, and Margalla Cut on GT Road will be completely sealed.