PTI Leaders, Workers Arrested in Multan, Muzaffarabad During ‘Black Day’ Protests

MULTAN/MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers were arrested in Multan and Muzaffarabad on Thursday as the party held nationwide rallies to mark February 8 as ‘Black Day,’ protesting last year’s controversial elections.

In Multan, police detained PTI leaders Meher Bano Qureshi, Zahid Bahar Hashmi, and Dalir Meher at Pull Chatta for violating Section 144. Additionally, over 10 PTI workers were arrested while attempting to hold a rally in the area.

Meanwhile, in Muzaffarabad, authorities cracked down on PTI protesters at Azadi Chowk, detaining several workers, although some managed to flee.

The arrests follow the government’s imposition of Section 144 across the province, which bans political gatherings, rallies, sit-ins, and other public demonstrations to “maintain law and order and protect lives and property.”

In a dramatic turn of events, PTI leader Khawaja Farooq escaped police custody when he was placed in a worker’s car instead of a police vehicle. The driver quickly sped away before officers could react, prompting a foot chase that failed to recapture him. However, authorities later confirmed that Farooq, who also serves as the opposition leader in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) legislative assembly, was eventually arrested along with 16 others.

PTI’s main ‘Black Day’ rally is set to take place in Swabi, where the party plans to continue its protests against the alleged rigging of the 2024 General Elections.