PTI plan to protest sealing of its office

Several PTI leaders on Tuesday alleged that the Punjab government was flexing its muscles against the party and warned they would stage a protest on November 25 if all those Excise & Taxation Department officers who sealed the main party office were not be suspended.
Addressing a press conference, PTI city chapter president Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed alleged that departments of the provincial government were being used against the PTI on the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Rasheed added: ?The ETD officers should make a public apology if they had sealed the party office by mistake. Otherwise, the provincial government should suspend them.? He warned that the PTI would launch protest demonstrations if the provincial government failed to comply with their rightful demand.
Mehmood said the PTI would seek remedy from a court of law if the provincial government continues harassment tactics. The PTI leader said that they had deposited the property tax of the party office today (Tuesday), while the last date for the deposit was November 23.
He added that excise department sealed the PTI office on 9:00 am today, later it de-sealed the premises. He claimed that excise department officers were also harassing the local leaders at various party offices. Those present in the press conference included Ijaz Chaudhary, Dr Yasmeen Rashid, Saloni Bukhari, Talat Naqvi, Zaheer Khokhar, Ishtiaq Malik and Murad Raas were also present on this occasion.
Earlier, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the excise department sealing the main secretariat of Tehreek-e-Insaaf located here at Jail Road and ordered to reopen the office Tuesday.
According to excise department sources, the step was taken due to non-payment of Rs350,000 property tax amount despite multiple reminders issued to the party office. Therefore, the authorities resorted to seal the main secretariat of PTI at Jail Road.
The CM Punjab took notice of the step taken by the excise authorities and passed orders to reopen the office. The team reached the location to implement the orders, however, the party workers did not allow the excise officers to open the office before the arrival of party leaders.