Police hunt PTI leaders, activists

Police in Rawalpindi Division have intensified a crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers ahead of the party's September 27 long march to Islamabad, with nearly 150 people detained under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and confined in different jails across the division. Police are also carrying out door-to-door searches and monitoring PTI leaders and active workers. According to police sources, lists have been prepared for the arrest of 463 prominent leaders and active workers categorised into three tiers, while 91 leaders and workers affiliated with the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) and Insaf Lawyers Forum are also being monitored. The sources said 2,019 door-knocking operations had so far been conducted at the homes and offices of PTI leaders and workers during the past 20 days and that the exercise was continuing. Police and the administration in all five districts of Rawalpindi Division - Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Murree and Jhelum - are making arrangements to deal with the PTI march, including road closures and deployment of police personnel. The sources further said police had been mobilised at district level to detain prominent PTI and ISF leaders and active workers under Section 3 of the MPO Ordinance on the grounds of apprehended threats to public order and to minimise the impact of the march. According to a detailed survey conducted by the police and administration, 463 PTI leaders and active workers in Rawalpindi Division, including 180 in Rawalpindi district, have been identified as people who could play a role in mobilising other workers. They include 59 Tier-I, 178 Tier-II and 226 Tier-III leaders and workers Similarly, 91 leaders and workers of the ISF and Insaf Lawyers Forum have been identified, including 11 in Tier-I, 14 in Tier-II and 66 in Tier-III. The lists have reportedly been handed over to the police, which has been mobilised for arrests and monitoring. Hazara routes blocked On the other hand, Hazara's road links with Punjab have been severed as authorities took measures to prevent the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from holding its proposed long march on September 27, causing difficulties for passengers and residents travelling towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The Hassan Abdal Road linking Haripur with Punjab has been blocked with containers at Jhari Kas, while the Haripur-Khanpur-Taxila Road has been closed at Gangu Bahadur by placing containers. Containers have also been brought to the bridge over the Haro River at Ahata Taxila to block the Haripur-Hattar-Taxila Road. However, traffic on the route remains open for now and is expected to be blocked by Thursday night.