The Punjab police in Pakistan have continued their crackdowns against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and arrested several activists and local leaders in various cities of Punjab. In Lahore, the police conducted a raid at the residence of Mehtab Hussain, a senior PTI leader and a candidate from PP-158, but he was not present at home at the time of the raid. The police arrested the son of former MPA Javed Akhtar Ansari in Multan during a raid, and PTI workers were arrested across the district. The police also raided the residence of Arslan Butt, a former staff officer of Shahbaz Gill, in Burewala, but he was not present at his home.
Furthermore, the police teams also arrested several PTI workers during raids in other cities, including Mian Channu, Lodhran, Vehari, and Faisalabad. The arrests came after the clash between PTI workers and the police during the Azadi March.
The PTI has condemned the arrests and termed them a violation of the democratic rights of its workers. The party claims that the police are acting on the orders of the ruling party and trying to suppress the opposition’s voice.
The opposition parties have also criticized the crackdowns and accused the government of using the state machinery to silence its opponents. The opposition claims that the government is trying to intimidate the opposition ahead of the upcoming elections.
The crackdowns have raised concerns about the state of democracy in Pakistan. The opposition parties and civil society groups have called for an end to the victimization of opposition workers and demanded that the government respects the democratic rights of its citizens.
In conclusion, the crackdowns against the PTI workers have intensified, with the police arresting several activists and local leaders in different cities of Punjab. The opposition parties have criticized the government’s actions and called for an end to the victimization of opposition workers. The situation raises concerns about the state of democracy in Pakistan and calls for immediate action to safeguard the democratic rights of citizens.