Two leaders of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were arrested from Islamabad on Monday and a case was lodged against them by the police.
According to reports, Maulana Shafiq-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Arshad were arrested from Shams Colony along with banners for the JUI-F sit-in in their possession.
Police claim that the two were urging people to participate in the Azadi March being organised by the JUI-F against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Police officials said that a few people were spotted putting up banners for the JUI-F sit-in, but fled as soon as the police force started chasing them.
Police said the suspects had challenged the administration by putting up banners despite the fact that Section 144 had been imposed in the area.
Earlier, it was reported that the government had decided in principal to prevent the sit-in (dharna) by the JUI-F in the federal capital.
The government decided to stop the sit-in even if it had to go for detention of top leadership of JUI-F, including its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Over in Karachi, a case was filed against JUI-F representatives over allegedly asking for extortion from the people of Karachi for the Azadi March.
According to police personnel, JUI-F’s local leaders Sabir Ashrafi, Hanif and Saleem have been named in the case lodged by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Kashif Nizami.
The First Information Report (FIR) revealed that JUI-F has allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 for the arrangements of sit-in in the federal capital, Islamabad and also threatened the masses of severe consequences if they fail to pay the extortion money.
One the other hand, Lahore High Court (LHC) has fixed petition against JUI-F’s anti-government protest ‘Azadi March’ for hearing.
The plaintiff has adopted the stance that constitutional government cannot be dissolved before completing its five year tenure. JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has formed private army for protecting his Azadi March, the plea claimed.
The petitioner further demanded the court to take up the case and stop JUI-F activists’ private army from holding illegal sit-in in the federal capital, Islamabad.
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced that his party’s anti-government ‘Azadi March’ to Islamabad will take place on October 31 instead of October 27.
“We have decided to enter Islamabad on October 31,” he said, adding that marchers will express solidarity with Kashmiris on Oct 27 and then leave for the federal capital. “People from all over the country will enter Islamabad at the same time, he told. Fazlur Rehman said he will announce the next plan of action himself after reaching Islamabad. The protests will be staged nationwide if Azadi March is stopped, he stressed.
