Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced the start of the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” (court arrest movement) to counter the “attack on constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights” and the “economic meltdown” caused by the incumbent government.
Khan tweeted that the movement is a peaceful, non-violent protest against the increasing number of fake FIRs, NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists and social media activists.
Today we start our Jail Bharo campaign for Haqeeqi Azadi for 2 main reasons. One, it is a peaceful, non violent protest against the attack on our constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights.We are facing sham FIRs & NAB cases, custodial torture, attacks on journalists & social— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 22, 2023
He added that the movement also aims to counter the economic meltdown brought about by a “cabal of crooks who have money laundered billions in looted wealth and gotten NROs for themselves while crushing the people, especially the poor and the middle class, under the burden of spiralling inflation and rising unemployment.”
Khan released a video message to refresh the zeal of party workers for the court arrest movement. He urged them to “fill up prisons and shatter the idols of fear,” and called on all Pakistanis to join the movement to achieve “Haqeeqi Azadi.”
#جیل_بھرو__زندان_بھرو pic.twitter.com/YgMLzFIlNU— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 22, 2023
In the wake of sedition cases filed against PTI leaders including Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill, Khan had announced the movement on February 4.
In the first phase of the movement, PTI senior leaders, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Asad Umar, voluntarily surrendered themselves to the authorities on Tuesday.
The PTI Lahore chapter president, Imtiaz Shaikh, announced that former Punjab governor Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Waleed Iqbal, Murad Raas, Muhammad Khan Madni, and Fawad Rasool, accompanied by 200 workers, will voluntarily surrender themselves to the authorities in Lahore. The movement will start from Lahore’s Charing Cross at 2 pm.
The provincial government has decided to thoroughly scrutinize the criminal history, tax, and bank records of people arrested under the PTI’s court arrest drive.
If anyone is found involved in corruption or criminal cases, immediate action will be taken against them, according to sources. All law enforcement agencies have been mobilized in the run-up to the PTI’s movement.
The jails in the provincial capital are already full, and the arrested individuals will have to be sent to jails in other cities like Mianwali and DG Khan jails.
During a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, it was decided that women and poor workers would not be detained during the PTI movement.
However, Sanaullah had earlier claimed that the PTI’s court arrest drive was aimed at creating political instability and a law and order situation in the country.
He added that the miscreants should be exposed by presenting evidence of their wrongdoings before the masses.
In conclusion, the PTI has launched the “Jail Bharo Tehreek” to counter the attack on constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights and the economic meltdown caused by the incumbent government.
The movement has kicked off with the voluntary surrender of senior PTI leaders and workers in Lahore.
The provincial government has decided to scrutinize the records of people arrested during the movement, and law enforcement agencies have been mobilized to ensure law and order.