Police bars PTI rally from entering Rawalpindi.
Party workers stage protests across cities.
Police deployed in Lahore in wake of protests.
LAHORE/RAWALPINDI: Workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are holding protests across various cities following the party’s call for demonstrations against alleged rigging, manipulation of election results and stealing of the party’s mandate in the February 8 polls.
PTI supporters and activists Sunday took to streets across the country with rallies being held in Rawalpindi along with protests in Karachi, Kandhkot, Tank and other cities.
The development comes as the PTI, whose candidates contested the February 8 polls as independent candidates and have since then joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) emerged as the single largest winning group following the general elections.
However, the party has levelled serious allegations of rigging and election result manipulation by way of alteration in the Form 47s and has time again held various demonstrations both inside and outside the parliament.
The PTI’s incarcerated founder Imran Khan has even written to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking an audit of the February 8 polls.
Meanwhile, in Lahore, police arrested several protesting PTI workers from GPO Chowk as authorities deployed a heavy contingent of police on the city’s Mall Road and other areas to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents.
Whereas in Karachi, police and Sindh Rangers personnel have been deployed in front of the Korangi Deputy Commissioner’s office in anticipation of protest by PTI workers.
In Rawalpindi, PTI workers and police came face to face after a demonstration rally led by Seemabia Tahir was prevented from entering the city via the Khanna Pul route.
The police also apprehended some party workers, who were later “freed” by Tahir.
In Tank, PTI workers carried out a rally from Sabir Bazaar to Town Hall ground.
Furthermore, protests and demonstrations were also held in Faisalabad, Vehari, Khushab, Islamabad, Multan, Gujranwala and other cities as well.