Over PKI office-bearers, activists detained to foil capital march.

SAHIWAL -- Around 8 farmers, office-bearers and activists of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) were detained at various police stations of Sahiwal division.

Law enforcement agencies and police detained farmers to stop them from marching on Islamabad to stage a protest sit-in outside Parliament House on Wednesday.

The regional police officer's (RPO) spokesperson confirmed to Dawn that Okara, Pakpattan and Sahiwal police detained 66, one, and 9 PKI activists, respectively.

On Tuesday afternoon, Arifwala City police had raided the farmhouse of PKI Punjab President Chaudhry Rizwan Iqbal and taken him into custody. Lawyer Ahmed Zeeshan Khokhar from Arifwala district court told Dawn that the police had not registered any case against the detainees, who were kept in lock-ups and investigation rooms.

Mr Iqbal told Dawn over the phone that around , farmers had succeeded to reach Islamabad and protested peacefully in front of the National Press Club. He said the PKI had confirmed that farmers had been detained in other districts as well, including Vehari, Kasur, Rahim Yar Khan, Khanewal and Toba Take Singh.

On Wednesday morning, PKI Divisional President Muhammad Hussain had managed to reach Chakri, Lahore-Islamabad motorway section along with farmers. While addressing at Chakri, he said, 'PKI farmers are not going to topple the Imran Khan government in Islamabad, but to demand our genuine rights.'

He said the PKI believed in negotiations and their leadership negotiated with top federal and provincial ministers and adviser to the PM in Islamabad for three days, 'but got nothing out of it'. The PKI chose a constitutional way to demand its rights, but the government started arresting peaceful activists from Punjab.

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