Bilawal condemns PTI workers' arrest, urges tolerance

KARACHI: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has condemned the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in Islamabad and advised the government to demonstrate tolerance.

"Police are supposed to maintain law and order, not to disrupt political gatherings," the PPP chairman said. He further said the use of force on women is a sign of fear.

Earlier on Thursday evening, there was a police crackdown during a convention of the PTI's youth wing, during which several activists were arrested.

Video footage showed police and Frontier Constabulary personnel baton-charging and taking away PTI workers in a bus from the venue of the convention.

A scuffle broke out between the law enforcers and senior PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who argued with the personnel for demanding an explanation for the arrests.

Qureshi said PTI workers, including women workers, had been attacked by the police at the youth convention organised by the party.