Police told not to arrest senior PTI leadership: sources

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have directed the Islamabad Police to not take Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) into custody, sources told Geo News Thursday.

At least 120 members of the Insaf Students Federation (ISF) and other party activists were arrested Thursday evening in a crackdown by law enforcement personnel against PTI in Islamabad. It happened days before a major anti-government protest by the party on November 2.

The law enforcement, however, did not arrest PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi despite huge contingents were present in Islamabad's sector E-11, where the episode took place.

Sources confided to Geo News that police have been directed to refrain from arresting senior PTI leaders. They have also been asked to not treat the PTI leaders harshly.

Qureshi, while speaking to media shortly after the crack down on PTI workers began, said the government demonstrated hooliganism today. He said there are no ifs and buts, and the party will announce its future strategy after consultation.

"We will opt for the way we consider right, government may do whatever it wants," Qureshi said, clarifying that they would opt for a legal, constitutional and democratic way.

The senior PTI leader also offered himself and Asad Umar for arrest, but requested to let the arrested workers go. He also alleged shoving and beating of female activists by male personnel.

PTI leader Asad Umar noted the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered that no one should be arrested for staging a protest.

He claimed that guest house in the capital were being threatened to not rent out rooms to PTI workers.