Dawn.com, Islamabad :A court in Islamabad has sent about a hundred workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand for allegedly attacking state institutions and violating Section 144.Speaking to reporters at the premises of the court, Inspector General (IG) Islamabad Police Tahir Alam asked the protesters present there to disperse immediately. “Police have been demonstrating patience and restraint despite provocation from PTI protestors,” he said.Under Section 144 gathering of more than five persons is prohibited, he added.He said: “PTI workers and leaders Andaleeb Abbasi and Arif Alvi had stopped prison vans near district courts at F-8 and have demanded release of the prisoners.”The Inspector General said it was the police’s duty to disperse a crowd that violated Section 144. Moreover, the police will not use force against protesters, he added.Out of hundred, 91 workers belong to PTI while the remaining are PAT workers who had violated Section 144 and were consequently arrested, a police official told APP.Meanwhile, a heavy contingent of security forces arrived at F-8 Kutchehri to control the situation.Police also held Azam Swati who was present with the protesters and was trying to provoke PTI workers. A number of PTI workers surrounded the police van and deflated its tIres, carrying arrested workers to prevent it from leaving the premises.PTI appeals for release of detained workersPTI leader Arif Alvi on Saturday warned the government that his party would forcibly release workers detained by police authorities if they were not released. Alvi was speaking outside the F-8 court in the capital and initially gave authorities a deadline of three hours which was later changed to 30 minutes.”The party is giving a warning of half an hour to respective judges to come at the kachehri where the detained party workers are locked and take up the matter immediately, otherwise the protesters will break the locks of the prison vans,” the lawmaker said.
