Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday said that any person having a criminal record will not be allowed to hold a convention. This was said in response to arrest of 55 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers from Lahore earlier in the day.
The police arrested 55 PTI workers from Lahore's Kahna area despite prior permission granted by the district administration for holding a workers' convention.
The police raided the office of the PTI leader responsible for organizing the convention.
During this operation, the police reportedly caused collateral damage by breaking windows and tearing down party banners and posters.
PTI was due to hold a workers convention today, and this is how the office of the organisers have been reduced to. While yesterday everyone saw how Nawaz Sharif was facilitated ! pic.twitter.com/pCnJenvrx1
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 22, 2023
The district administration's initial decision to deny permission for PTI to hold the rally in constituency NA-123 Kahna had prompted the political party to approach the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The court's verdict was unambiguous that if PTI was not allowed to hold their gathering, then nobody should have the privilege of doing so.
But today, the party's workers' convention was thwarted.
In this regard, CM Naqvi said that "anyone with a criminal record will not be allowed to attend the convention."
He stated that permission will only be granted to a person with a clean record.
