What happened: The capital police had partially sealed the Red Zone as farmers from Punjab began gathering at F-9 Park to protest rising power bills, taxes, and urea prices. There were around 1,500 protestors, according to officials, who gave negotiators a deadline and said they’d march on the Red Zone if their demands were not met. In a statement made by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s vice chairman, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who arrived at F-9 Park to join the farmers’ demonstration, he claimed that the capital police barred from joining the rally. On the other hand, ICT police shared a video on their Twitter handle in which they stated that Qureshi wasn’t a part of the protest and he was becoming an obstacle for them amid their police work.
I have just been surrounded by police and stopped from joining the Kissan Protest in F9 park. This is against my fundamental right to freedom of protest. How many voices is this imported government going to try to suppress? Shameful. #PakistanUnderFascism pic.twitter.com/VdLAW1Oy8b
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) September 21, 2022
In the video, Qureshi can be seen misbehaving with a senior police officer, “Tum kon hote ho mujhe batane wale. Tameez se baat kero,” he says when the officer can be seen maintaining his calm. He was later told by another cop that the person he is talking to is a respectful and honorable man, “So am I, and so are you,” added the PTI leader.
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) September 21, 2022
What now: In a late-night development, talks between Kissan Ittehad members and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah went successful, and the farmers called off their demonstration. They have decided to call off the protest in exchange for a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif upon his return.