LAHORE: A Lahore anti-terrorism court issued non-bailable arrest warrants for 12 PTI leaders on Friday, including former federal education minister Shafqat Mehmood and Yasmin Rashid, for allegedly vandalizing and damaging property during the party’s long march.
Arrest warrants have also been issued for Hammad Azhar, Murad Raas Zubair Niazi, Mehmood ur Rasheed, Aijaz Chaudhry, Aslam Iqbal, and other PTI leaders.
The warrants were issued in response to a request from Shahdra police.
Several PTI leaders were arrested for “rioting” during the party’s May 25 long march, including Chairman Imran Khan, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, General-Secretary Asad Umar, Imran Ismail, and others. Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and a few other leaders, on the other hand, were granted bail in these cases.
Hamaad Azhar sustains injuries
On May 25, former energy minister Hammad Azhar was injured during police shelling during the PTI long march and received basic medical treatment at a rural health clinic.
The senior PTI leader recorded a video message on his official Twitter account, claiming that the police have now resorted to direct attacks.
The police attempted to arrest Azhar earlier in order to prevent the Lahore rally from entering Islamabad; however, party workers were able to save him.
The PTI leader had confirmed that failed attempts were being made for his arrest. He had also reported that the police have abused the workers and hundreds of shells had been fired.
Police attack Yasmin Rashid’s car
On the same day, police broke the windscreen of former health minister Yasmin Rashid’s car in an attempt to stop her from driving.
The police used batons to stop her, according to social media footage, but the car continued to move forward despite losing balance.
When a PTI supporter came forward and verbally abused the officers, the police encircled her car. Meanwhile, Yasmin attempted to prevent the cops from taking her car keys.
Rashid, in a statement, confirmed that the windshield of her vehicle was broken by the police. She said that she faced difficulty in leaving the area.
“This government has lost its senses. I am an 80-year-old woman. Why are they threatening me? How is stopping a peaceful protest democratic?” she had questioned.
