Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that a party worker was killed in Lahore as Punjab police launched a crackdown on those participating in the party’s rally following the imposition of Section 144.
The deceased, identified as Ali Bilal alias Zil-e-Shah, was intellectually challenged. The PTI claimed that the worker died of police torture.
Meanwhile, the police claimed two deputy superintendents of police (DSPs), one station house officer (SHO) and eight constables were injured while maintaining the law and order.
The PTI had decided to kick off its election campaign with a rally from Zaman Park to Data Darbar on Wednesday. The rally was later dedicated to the judiciary.
Shortly after, the Punjab government imposed section 144 in Lahore, banning all demonstrations and rallies. Police officials had also taken a number of PTI workers into custody for violating the ban and used water cannons in an effort to disperse them which had led the PTI chairman to call off the rally.
In a tweet after calling off the rally, PTI chairman Imran Khan said that party worker Ali Bilal was “murdered by Punjab police”.
Footage of the clashes, shared on social media by both sides, showed police resorting to using of force against the party workers. In some clips, the PTI workers were also seen resorting to violence, such as damaging police vehicles and attacking policemen. Some others showed the policemen allegedly breaking windowpanes of the workers’ cars and hitting women.
