Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf claims party leaders, workers facing 'crackdown' after announcement of by-poll schedule

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 21 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary Information Raoof Hasan said that party leaders and workers were facing a crackdown after the announcement of the by-poll schedule for 21 national and provincial seats, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

On Saturday, PTI's Secretary Information Raoof Hasan said, "Raids are being conducted after the by-election announcement." He added, "Ill-treatment with the party workers' families becomes a routine now."PTI spokesperson further said that the party's woman leaders, including Aliya Hamza Malik, Sanam Javaid, and Yasmin Rashid, are still in prison. He accused the jail authorities of not providing medical assistance to Aliya Hamza Malik, who is suffering from malaria, according to Geo News report.

He said that "returning officers (ROs) were being forced to sign blank papers", and those who did not follow the orders were being "tortured." Speaking about PTI's strategy, Hasan announced that his party would try to give a big surprise at the electoral event set to be held on Sunday.

He criticised the suspension of mobile phone services during the by-election. He said, "Internet was also closed during the February 8 nationwide elections, and now, the closure of these services was being signalled, again."Earlier on Saturday, the Punjab authorities wrote a letter to federal government, requesting it to suspend mobile internet services in 13 districts and tehsils of the province on April 21 to maintain law and order.

In the letter, the Punjab authorities requested the suspension of mobile internet services in Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sadiqabad, Kot Chutta, Lahore, and Dera Ghazi Khan districts.

Meanwhile, suspension has been requested for tehsils, including Talagang, Chakwal, Kallar Kahar, Gujarat, Ali Pur Chatha, Zafarwal, and Bhakkar.

Later, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced that, in accordance with the orders issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Interior, cellular services would be temporarily suspended in some districts of the two provinces for two days.

The by-polls in 21 national and provincial constituencies is set to be held today. These include five National Assembly seats--12 in the Punjab Assembly, two each in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan assemblies, Geo News reported.

Candidates will be vying for NA-132 (Kasur) and NA-119 (Lahore) seats in Punjab, vacated by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz. Shehbaz Sharif also gave up two of his provincial assembly seats in Lahore - PP-158 and PP-164. He has retained NA-123 seat in the National Assembly.

By-polls will be held in NA-196 (Qamber Shadadkot) in Sindh after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari vacated the seat, as per the Geo News report.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur vacated the NA-44 (Dera Ismail Khan) seat in KP and retained his provincial assembly seat, PK-113.

By-polls will be held in the NA-8 (Bajaur) constituency, which was left vacant after one of its candidates -- Rehan Zeb Khan -- was murdered before the elections held on February 8. (ANI)