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ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that PTI leaders and workers who willingly turned themselves in for detention will be sent to remote jails before being transferred to Lahore or Rawalpindi prisons.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said that between 100 and 150 people have so far threatened to be arrested as a result of the PTI’s “Jail Bharo” movement, which aims to draw attention to the policies of the government and put pressure on the ruling coalition to call elections.
“Eighty per cent of the arrested ones are asking to be released,” said Sanaullah as he revealed that all participants of the PTI’s drive have been taken into custody for 30 days.
“You wished to go to jail, so you have been sent there,” he said mockingly, “we are having you visit jails so that you can acquaint yourselves with the conditions there”.
It may be noted that several petitions have been filed at the Lahore High Court (LHC), expressing fears that the arrested PTI leaders and workers may be falsely accused of involvement in unlawful activities to cause them “maximum harm”, adding that they have been transported to “some unknown place” to “torture” them.
Without referring to the matter that remains subjudice, Sanaullah said “we will first fill jails in far-off areas and afterward fill the jails of Lahore and Rawalpindi”.
“We hold the judiciary in utmost respect and regard,” he added as he stressed that “weakening” the judiciary would be synonymous with “increasing the difficulties of the country”.
