LAHORE – In light of the planned sit-in in Islamabad against expensive electricity deals and overbilling, police in various parts of Punjab and Rawalpindi raided the homes of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and officials, arresting several leaders and workers.
Police raided the house of Jamaat-e-Islami’s central secretary-general, Ameer-ul-Azeem. While they couldn’t arrest Ameer-ul-Azeem, they did arrest his driver, Shaukat Mahmood.
Ameer-ul-Azeem stated that to prevent the sit-in, police also raided the homes of Lahore Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Ziauddin Ansari and other officials.
In a video message, Ameer-ul-Azeem condemned the raids on Jamaat-e-Islami officials’ homes, stating that police harassment is ongoing in Lahore and other districts.
He expressed regret over the police’s misconduct towards women in various locations, calling the government’s action unconstitutional and undemocratic. He said that peaceful protest is a constitutional, legal, and democratic right of every citizen.
Ameer-ul-Azeem affirmed that the sit-in scheduled for Islamabad will proceed as planned, led by Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman. The sit-in aims to be peaceful and for the rights of the people.
Rawalpindi Police Crackdown
Rawalpindi police arrested seven officials in raids at various locations in Attock. Sources reported that Waris Khan police raided PTI leader Zaheer Ahmed Awan’s house, but as he was not present, they left with some information.
Arrests
Jamaat-e-Islami PP-28 leader Hafiz Ajmal and Mian Usman Rafi were arrested in Kharian Cantt, and several officials were arrested in Bahawalpur, including Lahore Ameer Ziauddin Ansari, Lodhran district Ameer Dr. Tahir Chaudhry, Taxila’s Owais Aslam Mirza, and Hassan Abdal’s Ameer Noor Al-Amin. Police also raided their homes seeking their arrests.
Jamaat-e-Islami spokesperson said that in Hassan Abdal, since Noor Al-Amin was not found, his young son was taken by the police.
In Punjab, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi, authorities and police have tightened measures to prevent participants from gathering due to the imposition of Section 144.
