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| Tehreek-e-Insaf women workers and Nove May: 'More pain than shilling is the abuse that was given to me |
I said don't touch me, I will sit in the van myself. The policeman replied that you are a noble girl. If they were decent, they would not have left the house.
Ayesha Salman (pseudonym) was among the women arrested after her party staged violent protests and arson in response to the arrest of Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan.
As a result of the violent incidents that took place on May 9, 2023, apart from government and private buildings, military properties were also damaged in many cities of the country. During this protest, many people were killed and dozens were injured.
The series of arrests of Tehreek-e-Insaf workers and leaders that started after this encirclement is still ongoing and a significant number of women are also included in those detained, while according to PTI's claim, a large number of people who were activists or sympathizers of Tehreek-e-Insaf but were not part of the protest were also detained.
Talking about her arrest, Ayesha said, 'When Imran Khan was arrested, we came out to protest. We were all students protesting at a square when we found out that some of our colleagues were protesting outside the ISI office. I and everyone else also walked towards it. On reaching there, we were standing peacefully with placards, but after a few minutes, shelling started there and immediately the police and rangers rushed towards us. We all ran from there to the other side, then the police said why are you running now. Come back, won't you?
He said that at that time there were only sounds of shouting and abuse. Some boys came and told us that the two girls who were with us had been taken away by the police, so you guys should leave here. We went to our homes. That night was very difficult and voices and abuses were echoing in my mind. I was also worried because my friends were taken away by the police.
The next day we did not even go outside the ISI office. They were standing on the common road when immediately the police, elite force, rangers and I don't know who came there. Shelling and water cannons started being used on us. For several hours we were consuming gas and then we were arrested from there.
Ayesha claims that while she and one of her companions were taken to the women's police station, the rest of her friends were taken to the general police station by the police.
According to him, all of us were tortured at the time of arrest. The batons were struck. When the policemen were arresting me, I said to them, "Don't touch me, I am walking alone." What a noble girl.
According to Aisha, what was more painful for her than the pain caused by the tear gas was the treatment she received during her arrest.
"My mouth and eyes still burn because of the shelling and water cannon, but what hurts more is the constant abuse I received. My mother has passed away. If she were alive and saw all this, she would have died like that.
Ayesha was released on bail after a day of detention, but she says that since then she has been facing ill-treatment from those around her, and she also claims that the police have also He did not follow them.
No one in our family had ever gone to jail. I am the first and the girl from above. Because of this, the people around me made my life haram. Not only this but after the release, the police are looking for us again.
He alleged that 'We are going to give the photos and videos of all the girls to the people of our neighborhood and ask if you have seen them, if you see these girls, tell the police immediately.'
He said that now I feel like I don't know how bad a girl I am. The heart desires that either I die or we really get freedom. After which no one calls us immoral for protesting. Rule of law in our country. There should be no one above the system. For me, this is freedom.
'We have been homeless for many days'
Ayesha Salman was arrested after the protest, but many Tehreek-e-Insaaf activists like Saba (pseudonym) were forced to go into hiding due to the arrests that began after the May 9 protests.
Saba, a mother of two, has been associated with the PTI for many years and has been a part of the party's meetings, processions, and protests. She was also involved in the protests on May 9, but soon after that, she left the city with her family.
Speaking to the BBC, he said, "It feels like the earth is closing in on us." Most of our women are either captured or absconded. We are displaced from home. Children cannot go to school. When we left, there was not enough time to pick up clothes.
After leaving the house, I contacted all the people to ask someone to keep us, but it was a pity that the people who thought they would help us gave a clear answer that you should not come to us and not for us. Create difficulties. On the other hand, there were many people, including ordinary workers, who we never even asked for, who supported us and helped us.
He claimed that the police are still looking for him. Now there is a fear that those people may not reach here while looking for us.
Saba is an ordinary worker of Tehreek-e-Insaf, but because of the fear of arrest by the police, the sympathizers of Tehreek-e-Insaf who belong to the country's elite also had to go into hiding.
Among them is Khadija Shah, daughter of Dr. Salman Shah, who owns one of the country's biggest fashion houses and worked as a financial adviser to the federal and provincial governments in the past.
Khadija presents herself as a supporter of Imran Khan and Tehreek-e-Insaaf on social media and videos of the May 9 storming of the Corps Commander's House in Lahore were also posted from her social media accounts.
The police were active for several days to arrest Khadija Shah and she surrendered herself to the law on Tuesday night.
Talking about the arrests and raids of women in the context of the May 9 incidents, IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar said that all the arrests are being made by the law.
"We have all the evidence and in light of that we are making all these arrests."
He denied all allegations of ill-treatment during the arrest process and said that all detained women were treated according to law and those found not involved in any crime were released in light of police and intelligence reports. will go
Saba is an ordinary worker of Tehreek-e-Insaf, but because of the fear of arrest by the police, the sympathizers of Tehreek-e-Insaf who belong to the country's elite also had to go into hiding.
Among them is Khadija Shah, daughter of Dr. Salman Shah, who owns one of the country's biggest fashion houses and worked as a financial adviser to the federal and provincial governments in the past.
Khadija presents herself as a supporter of Imran Khan and Tehreek-e-Insaaf on social media and videos of the May 9 storming of the Corps Commander's House in Lahore were also posted from her social media accounts.
The police were active for several days to arrest Khadija Shah and she surrendered herself to the law on Tuesday night.
Talking about the arrests and raids of women in the context of the May 9 incidents, IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar said that all the arrests are being made by the law.
"We have all the evidence and in light of that we are making all these arrests."
He denied all allegations of ill-treatment during the arrest process and said that all detained women were treated according to law and those found not involved in any crime were released in light of police and intelligence reports. will go
Complaint of not getting legal support from Tehreek-e-Insaf
Tehreek-e-Insaaf activists arrested for their involvement in the May 9 incidents also seem to complain that no one from the party's central or second-level leadership appeared to support them.
Ayesha said that we were not told what to do and how to do it. We just came out to protest. After that, when we were arrested, no one from the party even came after us. No legal assistance of any kind was given.
While Saba is determined to support Imran Khan in all situations, on the question of legal assistance, he also said that he did not get any such help.
Nothing like that happened. No legal assistance of any kind was provided. Everyone is on their own, however, he also said that at present the leadership of his party is suffering from problems.
We are workers, look at the situation of our leaders, they are getting arrested and then they are arrested. When this is happening to them, we are workers again.
Apart from the workers, the families of the detained leaders also criticized the non-support of the leadership.
Iman Mazari, the daughter of Dr. Shereen Mazari, who announced her separation from Tehreek-e-Insaaf on Tuesday, and lawyer Iman Mazari, spoke on a TV channel after her mother was detained a few days ago and said, It was sad that she was always forward in defending PTI and supporting Imran Khan, but after five or six days Imran Khan went and gave a statement and said that what is happening to Dr. Shireen is wrong. .'
He said that 'Imran Khan Sahib is only in love with himself and his wife. They are not thinking of anyone else. Tehreek-e-Insaaf's legal team is not providing legal help to these workers who are in thousands. Why did PTI leave these people? What is their mistake?
When asked about this, Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Ifthar Durrani said that the arrests are too many and we still haven't completed the list. Four to five hundred of our women have been arrested from across Pakistan.
He said that Tehreek-e-Insaaf has the support of all types of women. Those who like Imran Khan as a cricketer or those who like his personality. So these new-age women are playing an important role in this political process. As far as their arrests are concerned, if someone commits a crime, he will be punished according to the law, but the violence and how women are being arrested are condemnable.