Police arrest PTI leaders Ijaz Chaudhry, Mehmood ur Rasheed as clock ticks on 'Azadi March'

• Former education minister Shafqat Mehmood's house also raided.
• Police also arrest five PTI workers, including local party leader Pervaiz Khan in Karachi.
• PTI Karachi MNA Aftab Jahangir’s nephew was also arrested and shifted to an unknown location.

With the clock ticking on PTI’s ‘Azadi March’, the police on Tuesday arrested PTI’s Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab senior leader Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed and other party workers, Geo News reported.

The police continued to raid the houses of the PTI leaders and workers as the government has decided to stop PTI’s 'Azadi March' set to begin today (May 25).

Despite the government ban, ex-prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders have vowed to reach Islamabad for the sit-in till the announcement of new elections.

A day earlier, Punjab Police raided the houses of several PTI leaders, including former energy minister Hammad Azhar, Usman Dar, and Babar Awan, while a police constable was also shot dead during a raid in Lahore.

On Tuesday, police arrested senior PTI leader Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed in a late-night raid under section 16 of the Maintenance of the Public Order (MPO).

Earlier, police also raided former education minister Shafqat Mehmood's residence, however, he was not present at home.

While condemning the police action, PTI Punjab President Shafqat Mehmood tweeted that the police had raided his house without a search warrant.

“I was not there,” he tweeted, adding, “Do they really think these tactics would intimidate us?”

Later, the PTI spokesperson claimed that Senator Ejaz Chaudhry had also been arrested and shifted to an unknown location.

"The place he was staying was stormed by over 100 policemen - the gate of the house broken- the family at that place harassed and phones taken. This will not dampen our spirit," a tweet from Ejaz Chaudhry's account said. 

Police raid PTI MNA's houses, arrest party workers in Karachi

Meanwhile, police also launched a crackdown on PTI Sindh leadership and arrested several workers.

To keep the law and order situation in control, the PML-N government has decided to stop Imran Khan's Azadi March in Islamabad.

According to the Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, the federal cabinet has decided not to let PTI go ahead with its long march in order to avoid the spread of "fitna" and "fasad."

In the wee hours of Wednesday, police raided Karachi’s Shah Rasool colony area and arrested five PTI workers including local party leader Pervaiz Khan.

According to the SSP south, arrested PTI workers were planning to gather at Teen Talwar for the protest.

The houses of PTI MNA Shakoor Shaad and Aftab Jahangir were also raided in Karachi, but they were not present at home.

However, police arrested Aftab Jahangir’s nephew and shifted him to an unknown location.