LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has claimed the recovery of weapons from the vehicles of PTI’s Lahore office bearers on the day the party launched its “Azadi March”.
Lahore DIG Operations Sohail Chaudhry said the police had received information some days ago about “illegal weapons” being brought to the city. “During the blockades yesterday, we tried to stop five cars on the motorway. Later, in a raid at the homes of PTI Lahore office bearers Zubair Niazi and Bajash Niazi, the weapons were recovered.
“The leaders have been taken into police custody,” he said, adding that the police would ensure that the march was held peacefully according to the law.
An “admin” tweeted from Senator Ejaz Chaudhary’s official Twitter that he was arrested in a raid involving over 100 policemen. According to tweet, the gate of the house was broken — the family at that place harassed and phones were snatced”.
PTI Punjab President Shafqat Mahmood’s home was also allegedly raided. He tweeted that the police barged into his house after 11pm last night without a warrant while he was not at home.
“Lahore police continued with its unsuccessful mission last night to arrest me. First they raided my house, then my brothers and in early morning hours, my sisters,” he said.
PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz also levelled similar allegations and tweeted that the Punjab Police had recovered weapons from two PTI leaders, asserting that this was the “ugly face” of the party’s Azadi March.
She shared details of the weapons _ six “223 bore guns, 13 SMG rifles, three pistols, 10 ‘kopay‘, 96 magazines of SMG rifles and 223 bore guns, 26 magazines of pistols, 50 boxes of bullets and six bigger packs of bullets”.
“This is the ugly face of the so-called Long March,” the PML-N leader said, adding that this showed the “intentions” of PTI leaders.
Later, Punjab government spokesperson Ataullah Tarar in a media briefing also said a “large quantity of weapons” was found from the homes of the two PTI workers. “It is now clear this isn’t a peaceful march. These people want chaos and anarchy to spread in the country.”
He also showed the photographs of the “modern weapons” on display that Maryam posted on Twitter, and listed what was found.
“What was this weaponry gathered for? We have intelligence reports. Look at these weapons. They want to hide there (in Peshawar), and yet they’re asking for others’ children to risk their lives in march.”
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