At least six supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were arrested in Lahore during the party’s protest against alleged vote rigging on Saturday. Party leader Shahzad Farooq was among them.

There were reports that lawyers taking part in the demonstration were locked in the parking area.

Workers of the Imran Khan’s party gathered at different locations at 2pm across the country to protest against the elections results, which it claims were not according to the Form 45s.

They protested in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Chakwal, Dhabeji, Layyah, Karachi, Khanewal, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, Muzaffarhgarh, and other major cities. Protest in Peshawar, where the PTI is in majority, was postponed due to rain.

Police in Islamabad and Lahore had beefed up security after the announcement. The federal capital police had also banned gatherings of more than five people under Section 144 of the CrPC on Saturday.

They had put the security on “high alert” in the city.

Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) empowers district administration to issue orders in the public interest that may place a ban on an activity for a specific period of time.

The police also increased patrolling in the city and deployed additional personnel at checkpoints.

The police said there was possibility of traffic congestion near the F-9 Park and advised people to avoid the area around the location.

An Islamabad police spokesperson also advised people to carry ID documents with them and be cooperative with the policemen at checkpoints.

Over 30 locations in Punjab

The PTI had announced over 30 locations in the Punjab province alone for its protests

The protests were set to begin at 11am on Saturday.

Karachi

Supporters of PTI protested outside the Karachi Press Club. Party leaders Khurram Sherzaman, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, Alamgir Khan, Zahoor Masood, Fiza Zeeshan, and Saifur Rehman addressed party workers.

They demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan should issue results according to the Form 45.

Protest was also held in the Sindh province, especially in Thatta, Jamshoro, Dhabeji and Hyderabad where Haleem Adil Shaikh led some of the rallies.