'Jail Bharo Tehreek': LHC moved for recovery of PTI leaders

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday approached Lahore High Court (LHC) for the recovery of party leaders that voluntarily surrendered themselves to the law enforcers under ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, ARY News reported.

PTI commenced ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement) from Lahore yesterday after the party’s senior leaders including Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati had voluntarily surrendered themselves to police.

In the petition, Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s son Zain Qureshi maintained his father had been illegally detained and his whereabouts are not known.

He pleaded with the court to order recovery of his father.

A similar petition was also moved by PTI senior leader Aijaz Chaudhry seeking recovery of PTI leadership. The petition has sought the LHC’s intervention in the release of the PTI leader.

Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry will hear the petitions tomorrow (Friday).

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

Around 81 PTI leaders and workers including Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Umar Cheema, Azam Swati and others surrendered in Lahore on day 1 of ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’.

Former federal ministers and senior leadership of PTI including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Azam Swati were shifted from Kot Lakhpat jail to other prisons, according to police.

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.