‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’: 70 PTI workers surrenders to police in Gujranwala

GUJRANWALA: At least 70 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters of Gujranwala have courted arrest as the party’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ entered day fifth today, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, the PTI said that former MPAs – Zafarullah Cheema and Nazar Muhammad Gondal – were the first who voluntarily surrendered to the police in the Gujranwala.

گوجرانولہ جیل بھرو تحریک میں کپتان کی کال پر نا صرف جوان بلکے بزرگ بھی سرفہرست۔ سابق ایم پی اے ظفر اللہ چیمہ اور نظر محمد گوندل نے سب سے پہلے گرفتاری پیش کی۔#جیل_بھرو_خوف_کے_بت_توڑو pic.twitter.com/9jzumZWiL2

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 26, 2023

In a statement, former Punjab health minister Yasmin Rashid claimed that six prison vans boarded with PTI workers have departed for jail so far. “The local police have barred female PTI workers from boarding the prison van,” she added.

Besides others, Chaudhry Ilyas Gujjar, his nephew and Qamar Abbas Tarrar have courted arrest, said Rashid. Yasmin Rashid lauded the people for taking to the street on the call of former prime minister Imran Khan who announced the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’.

Earlier in the day, the administration of Gujranwala Central Jail refused to keep Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in the prison, who are surrendering themselves for the Jail Bharo Tehreek.

The jail administration in a letter has informed the police and the district administration. According to the jail officials, Gujranwala Jail is already overcrowded as it is keeping 3,300 prisoners against its capacity of 1,500.

The PTI workers arrested in Gujranwala will be shifted to the other jails of the province, the sources.

Jail Bharo Tehreek

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) commenced ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement) from Lahore today as the party’s senior leaders including Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati voluntarily surrendered themselves to the law enforces.

The ‘court arrest’ drive was launched in protest over “violations of the fundamental rights”, “abuse of the Constitution”, “unprecedented inflation” and “economic meltdown”.

On the directions of Imran Khan, as many as 200 leaders and workers will surrender themselves for the ‘Jail Bharo Movement’ today.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said that PTI was launching the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ for two important reasons

Taking to Twitter, Imran Khan said there were two main reasons for the campaign that aimed at achieving ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ [real freedom].

“One, it is a peaceful, non-violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights,” he wrote while highlighting that illegal corruption cases and FIRs were being registered against the PTI leaders.

As per the schedule unveiled by the party, after Lahore, Peshawar will witness the launch of the court arrest drive on Feb 23. Rawalpindi will follow on Feb 24, Multan on Feb 25, Gujranwala on Feb 26, Sargodha on Feb 27, and Sahiwal on Feb 28. Faisalabad will join the movement on the first day of March.