PTI kicks off ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday commenced ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ (court arrest movement) from Lahore as the party’s senior leaders including Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati have 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”.

تحریک انصاف کی سینئر لیڈر شپ نے سب سے پہلے خود کو گرفتاری کے لیے پیش کر دیا لیکن پولیس غائب۔ #جیل_بھرو_خوف_کے_بت_توڑو pic.twitter.com/rGbE6vnHdq

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 22, 2023

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

Former Punjab governor Umar Cheema, Senator Walid Iqbal, former Punjab minister Murad Raas, PTI ticket holders Muhammad Madni and Fawad Bhalar and others will surrender themselves in the first phase.

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.

“Two, it is against the economic meltdown brought on by cabal of crooks who have money laundered billions in looted wealth & gotten NROs for themselves,” Mr Khan said, adding that the government’s policies have crushed the poor and middle class “under the burden of spiraling inflation & rising unemployment”.

Separately, in a video message shared on PTI’s official Twitter account, the ex-premier urged people to take to the streets for “true freedom”.

چئیرمین عمران خان کا قوم کے نام اہم پیغام !! #جیل_بھرو_خوف_کا_بت_توڑو pic.twitter.com/rkPcEJdnA5

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 22, 2023

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.