PTI moves court for release of leaders arrested under 'Jail Bharo' drive

LAHORE – Only a day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf kicked off its “Jail Bharo Tehreek” (fill prison movement), multiple petitions have been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking release of the political leaders who voluntarily surrendered to authorities.

The purpose of PTI's 'Jail Bharo' drive is to protest the violation of fundamental rights and economic meltdown. It began in Lahore where Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati, Murad Raas, Hammad Azhar and other leaders along with party workers gave their custody to police on the Mall Road.

Now, petitions have been filed by Zain Qureshi, the son of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and PTI Senator Ijaz Chaudhry in the high court.

Zain Qureshi appealed to the LHC to order authorities to produce his father in the court as he was being kept in wrongful detention. He said he was not being informed about whereabouts of PTI's senior vice president.

Ijaz Chaudhry has sought release of at least eight PTI leaders — Umar, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Waleed Iqbal, Senator Azam Swati, Murad Ras, Jaan Madni, Aazam Niazi, and Ahsan Dogar.

He has made additional chief secretary (home), inspector general of Punjab (IG), and capital city police officer (CCPO) parties in the case. Chaudhry said that there was no reason to keep them behind bars and requested the court to order authorities to release them.

The please will be heard Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry for Friday.