Police use water cannon, tear gas on Imran Khan's supporters

Pakistans police on Wednesday fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse ousted prime minister Imran Khans supporters who gathered outside his residence here defying a government ban on ralliesKhans Pakistan TehreekeInsaf PTI claimed that its peaceful workers were arrested as reports emerged that the provincial capital had been placed under Section 144 banning public gatheringsThe party termed the police action as fascist and an attempt to clear the way to arrest 70yearold former cricketerturned politicianA heavy contingent of police placed containers and barriers on the way to Khans residence blocking all entriesPolice used water cannons fired tear gas and baton charged the PTI workers including women The police bundled the resisting workers into police vans the party saidThe riot police also smashed the cars of the PTI workers which were parked at Zaman Park Police officials also manhandled journalists who protested the action it claimedLast Sunday police failed to arrest Khan primarily because of the resistance of a large number of PTI workersKhan has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profitAlso Read Battle for Bakhmut takes peak stage in the conflict in UkrainePolice have registered at least 76 cases against the PTI chief since his ouster from power in April last yearPolice have arrested a number of PTI workers who had gathered at Zaman Park PTI senior leader Hammad Azhar told a press conference hereHe said police tortured PTI workers and also manhandled womenPunjab caretaker chief minister Mohsin Naqvi launched the crackdown on PTI workers at the behest of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who is directly running the Punjab government he saidHe said it is the fear of Imran Khan that made the government unnervedHow come the government can ban rallies in Lahore while elections in Punjab have been announced for April 30 he askedAnother PTI senior leader Shireen Mazari said Women workers of PTI are being attacked by water cannons Police attack vehicles parked by the side in a wanton act of destruction Fascist CM Mohsin Naqvi has gone power crazy They are using chemicals in the water from the water cannons being fired on our women workers especiallyThe PTI rally was to be taken out for respect and dignity of the judiciaryInterior Minister Rana Sanaullah justified police action saying we had terror alerts from agencies therefore ban on public gatherings and rallies imposed on PunjabThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever