At least 27 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters allegedly disguised as wedding procession were arrested in Faisalabad on Sunday, the police claimed as they intensified the crackdown against protesters.
Various PTI convoys have left from different parts of the country to participate in the protest in Islamabad against former prime minister Imran Khan’s detention and restoration of democracy.
Many people have described the counteraction as “a game of cat-and-mouse” between the two sides, with activists employing various tactics to evade capture and deceive law enforcement.
In one area, PTI convoys were hiding among dense trees in Attock while in another some participants travelling to Islamabad in a wedding procession were apprehended by the police.
They had decorated their vehicles with flowers and one individual was dressed as a groom, with his car positioned at the front of the convoy, police claimed.
Upon suspecting illicit activity, they stopped the vehicles for investigation and subsequently arrested the activists.
Later, the bridegroom arrived on Sargodha Road with the wedding card in hand. Police had stopped the wedding party’s vehicles on Sargodha Road, mistakenly believing they were part of the PTI convoy.
The bridegroom stated that their protest had no connection to the situation, clarifying that the police had misunderstood the circumstances. He explained that the police halted the wedding vehicles, thinking they were related to the PTI protests.
He further mentioned that the police confiscated mobile phones and car keys from the drivers. The vehicles were decorated and heading to his home for the wedding festivities, with the procession planned to travel from the housing society to Ameen Pur Bungalow.
Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has asked his supporters to march towards Islamabad on November 24 for democracy and judiciary. But Defence Minister Khawaja Asif believes the protest is akin to “insurrection” as the former ruling party allegedly wants to usurp the federal capital.
The PTI founder has set four demands for ending protests while his wife has stated that the date would only change if Khan is out of jail.
Khan’s PTI encountered a significant setback on Thursday when the Islamabad High Court ruled that no protests or rallies violating a recent law on public gatherings would be permitted over the weekend due to the visit of the Belarusian president.
The federal government has called in additional security troops to assist the capital city administration in maintaining order during the protest.
