‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’: Zulfi Bukhari, Fayyaz Chohan ‘voluntarily’ surrender to police

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Zulfi Bukhari and Fayyaz Ul Hassan Chohan “voluntarily” surrendered themselves to police on the third day of the "Jail Bharo Tehreek (court arrest movement)" from Committee Chowk, Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed and PTI leader Aamir Kayani, along with several other leaders, reached the selected site to surrender themselves to the authorities.

Chohan along with 50 other workers was put into the prisoner van; however, these leaders and workers were then pushed out of the van at Mandra Road.

Meanwhile, Bukhari and Ijaz Khan, along with 10 other workers, were arrested from Committee Chowk.

The movement, according to the PTI rationale, aims to counter the "attack on constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights" and the "economic meltdown" by the incumbent government".

To kickstart the movement on Wednesday, the party's senior leaders including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar and Azam Swati, along with party workers voluntarily surrendered themselves to the Lahore police.

However, the next day the PTI moved to the Lahore High Court, seeking the release of its leaders who had voluntarily offered arrest stating that the arrested PTI leaders were not presented before the court nor any legal formalities fulfilled in making the arrests. 

The PTI leadership was transported to the Kot Lakhpat Jail and was not provided with food or medicine. The petitioners alleged that the lives of the PTI leaders were at stake at the hands of the respondents.

Following this, the Lahore High Court (LHC) took up the petition today and upon inquiring about the intention of the petitioner it was learnt that the PTI wasn't asking for bail, however, they want to ensure the rights of the arrested leaders are protected.

Today marked the third day of the drive and so far only around 100 people have been arrested; it should be noted that no leader and worker surrendered on the second day (Thursday).

In Peshawar alone, so far the police have registered names of nearly 300 leaders and workers who “voluntarily” surrendered themselves in the Roznamcha. Among these are Parvez Khattak, Asad Qaiser, Kamran Bangash and Irfan Saleem.

The Roznamcha has been registered at Hashnagri Police Station on the charges of violating Section 144, roadblocks, and provocative speeches against institutions and public office holders.