The Punjab government has claimed that weapons and ammunition were found in the vehicles of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Lahore representatives Zubair Niazi and Bajash Niazi, who have reportedly been arrested by the police. Both leaders have denied the police’s claims.
According to Lahore DIG Operations Sohail Chaudhry, the police had received information about some illegal weapons being brought into the city, that could be used to disturb the peace.
“During the blockades yesterday, we tried to stop five cars on the motorway,” he said, adding, “Later, in a raid at the homes of PTI Lahore office bearers Zubair Niazi and Bajash Niazi, the weapons were recovered.”
Sohail Chaudhry said that it seemed like they had been planning to use the weapons at the march, adding that the two men had been taken into police custody.
The allegations were furthered by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who shared a photo of the allegedly recovered ammunition on Twitter. “This is the ugly face of the so called Long March. These are the intentions,” the tweet read.
Weapons recovered by punjab Lahore police from vehicles of PTI Lahore office bearers Zubair Niazi and Bajash Niazi. Case registered. This is the ugly face of the so called Long March. These are the intentions. pic.twitter.com/oGZHituEgf
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) May 25, 2022
Zubair Niazi dismissed the allegations, saying this was ‘fake news’. He claimed the police had not checked his vehicles or raided his house.
My official stance on @MaryamNSharif
Fake news https://t.co/mgXFF5aHOY— Zubair Khan Niazi (@zubairniazi) May 25, 2022
Lashing back at Maryam, he said, “This is the same Maryam who used to say she had no property in Pakistan, let alone London.” He added that he hasn’t even met the police yet, and will be seeing them on Batti Chowk and GT road, referring to the route the PTI convoy will take on its way to the long march.
“Unlike Rana Sanaullah, I don’t do or keep heroine, which was found from his car,” Zubair said, adding that this was his official statement.
