IJT detains Imran, hands him to police

* Police charges Imran under ATA
* IJT denies its activists manhandled PTI chairman

LAHORE: The Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT), the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), on Wednesday detained and manhandled Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan at the Punjab University, and then handed him over to police, who charged him under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Imran was to begin a students march from the Punjab University New Campus against emergency rule. Police cordoned off the campus earlier in the day, but Imran managed to get in. He was then taken from the midst of cheering students by baton-wielding IJT activists and locked up in the Centre of High Energy Physics building. A university vehicle then whisked him away - fairly roughed up in the process - into the waiting hands of police, who took him to Iqbal Town Police Station. He was later moved to Civil Lines Police Station, police said.

Anti-Terrorism Act: “A case has been registered against Imran Khan. He has been charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act,” local police officer Naveed Arshad told AFP.

“I came to the university to lead a rally of students against the dictator and his illegal actions,” Imran said from police custody. “I have achieved my purpose by starting the student movement,” he added.

IJT denies: PU IJT Nazim Muhammad Ayub told reporters that Imran was taken to the CHEP building for his own safety and denied allegations of manhandling. The PTI told reporters that the IJT’s actions showed it had clandestine links with the government. staff report

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