Punjab police officials raided Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Malik Nawaz Awan’s election office in Lahore on Tuesday night, according to ARY News.
It said police raided the election office of PTI candidate Malik Nawaz Awan in Lahore’s PP-168 constituency when a corner meeting was being held.
Looks like PTI is fighting elections not against PMLN but against Punjab Police! Pakistan Zindabad! https://t.co/4pbfmc63MN
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) July 13, 2022
ARY News reported that the PTI candidate said police arrested his security guard and seized his weapon. “Police also arrested four PTI activists during the raid. The policemen raided my office and told me to end the election campaign.”
“Awan said that police made an illegal move as he possessed a licensed arm. He criticised the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and said that the ruling political party was panicked by the PTI’s popularity and using state machinery against the political opponents.”
ARY News cited PTI leader Farrukh Habib as saying that “the corner meeting was being held inside the walled marriage hall where DSP Defence Circle conducted a raid. The raiding team was also comprised of SHOs of different police stations.”
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He said, “the fake chief minister would be sent packing soon, and the ruling party is now using negative tactics after sensing its clear defeat.” He also asked police officials to act as state servants instead of personal servants.
Habib said that Maryam Nawaz’s election campaign had failed, and Punjab ministers had started tendering their resignations.
The PTI leader said the police raid violated the Supreme Court (SC) orders. He added that “all candidates should be given a level playing field in the Punjab by-elections.”