ISLAMABAD - Protest rally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against the alleged rigging in May 2013 elections was marred by scuffle between PTI activists and police here on Friday.
The scuffle broke out when ICT administration barred the protesters from proceeding into Red Zone when they wanted to take the rally from party secretariat to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The administration had installed barricades along the way, with concrete blocks and barbed wire, to prevent the protesters from moving ahead.
The district administration had said that the demonstrators would not be allowed to proceed beyond Nadra Chowk to enter the Red Zone.
A large number of party workers marched from the party office to ECP headquarters to protest against the alleged rigging in May 2013 elections. They called for electoral reforms in the country.
Despite efforts by PTI’s senior leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who tried to control the party activists, the protesters crossed the barricades and moved in front of the OPF office where the clash with police personnel took place.
Later, the PTI workers were allowed to hold protest demonstration near Nadra Chowk.
Security was tightened in the Red Zone and outside office of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
According to police, road leading towards election commission office had been sealed.
It may be mentioned here that PTI chairman Imran Khan had announced to hold protest demonstrations outside the Election Commission office every Friday, demanding electoral reforms and vote recount in four constituencies.