The Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP) claimed on Thursday that several of its workers were taken into custody by the Punjab police during the opposition?s street mobilisation campaign.

A TTAP delegation had departed from Islamabad to Lahore earlier today as part of the opposition?s ?street movement? to hold political and social gatherings in the provincial capital.

A post shared by the TTAP on X at around 11am said that the delegation, headed by the alliance?s head Mahmood Khan Achakzai, had left for Lahore.

At 3:34pm, the TTAP claimed ?dozens? of workers of the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) ? a part of the alliance ? were arrested in Lahore, including Senior Vice President Syed Hussain Kazmi.

The son of MWM chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who serves as the TTAP vice chairman, was also taken into custody, the TTAP said on X.

?Right after the arrest, police officials expressed ignorance and took the stance that he was not in their custody,? the statement added.

However, the PTI, in a statement condemning the ?fascism and oppression by the Punjab police?, said ?an attempt was made to arrest the TTAP chief?s son near Kharian?. It is unclear whether the PTI was referring to Abbas or Achakzai?s son.

The PTI, a part of the TTAP, also claimed that ?multiple members of delegations present peacefully along the route of the caravan? were being taken into custody.

?Peaceful citizens and party workers, who are unarmed and pose no threat of any kind, are being subjected to extremely brutal behaviour by the fascist police acting on political orders,? it alleged.

The party further said that the vehicles of its MPAs Malik Fahad, Raja Tanvir and Sardar Muhammad Ali were vandalised at Kharian.

?Our ticket holders, organisational officials and workers were arrested at the location of Gujar Khan,? it added.

In its statement, the PTI also alleged that late-night raids were being carried out on the residences of its workers in Lahore, ?as a result of which, worker Rashid Yousuf Jan lost his life during a raid in the area of Handarwal?.

The PTI demanded that all ?unjustly arrested? individuals be immediately released and that those responsible for these ?unconstitutional and illegal actions? be held accountable.

An earlier post on the TTAP?s account said ?unidentified people? had broken the glasses of the convoy?s vehicles in Gujrat.

Shortly before noon, the alliance alleged that the Punjab police had arrested ?several? PTI workers and had taken action against its camp in Rawalpindi?s Gujar Khan.

It also shared videos showing a police van from the Gujar Khan station and men in police attire carrying batons.

?Setting out to end oppression and cruelty?

At around 1:30pm, the TTAP said its delegation had reached Jhelum. The post also had a video, in which TTAP vice chairman Abbas alleged that the people?s mandate in the 2024 elections had been stolen.

?There is economic exploitation now [?] and the political crisis is intensifying. We have taken to the streets to end cruelty, [?] for the fundamental rights of the people, for the poor, labouerers, unemployed and farmers and for all those who are oppressed,? he said, standing alongside Achakzai.

The senator said the alliance would take to the streets against ?cruelty? across the country on February 8.

In a separate video before his departure to Lahore, Achakzai said, ?We are not going to Lahore to conquer, curse at anyone or throw rocks at them; our slogan is that we are setting out to end oppression and cruelty.?

Achakzai, who has been nominated as the next opposition leader in the National Assembly, called on the public to stand with the opposition against a Parliament ?thrust upon? Pakistan.

The TTAP chief stressed that the country was suffering from ?endless issues because of ill-intended decisions?.

?The government itself knows that it is invalid,? Achakzai said.

?In this regard, the TTAP has appealed to people from all walks of life to protest on Feb 8 and come stand with us,? he said, calling on people to ?close their shops, rickshaws, and taxis?.

?We are starting a peaceful movement and we are here to end oppression,? he reiterated.

Standing alongside Achakzai was the opposition leader of the Punjab Assembly, Moeen Qureshi, who extended his welcome to the TTAP chief.

?There are a lot of MPAs present here who will accompany Achakzai sahib to Lahore,? he said.

He warned Punjab authorities against treating the TTAP delegation the same way as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was treated during his visit to Lahore last month.

He also reiterated that the movement would be peaceful.

PTI Punjab chief organiser Aliya Hamza Malik, in a post on X, welcomed the TTAP leaders to Lahore. She said that her party would accord a ?grand welcome? to the guests at nine locations on GT Road.

?This peaceful struggle is a struggle for the Constitution and the law,? she wrote.

In a post on TTAP?s X account, the alliance?s spokesperson, Hussain Yousafzai, termed the visit a ?practice match for the larger movement?.

Yousafzai voiced optimism that the visit would give ?hope to the PTI workers in Punjab?. The spokesperson also added that PTI leader Asad Qaiser would hold a press conference later today.

At a recent national conference organised by the TTAP alliance, KP CM Afridi had announced the observation of a ?black day? at the national and international levels on Feb 8, which will mark the second anniversary of the general elections under which the existing parliament has been functioning.

The conference had also highlighted the need for a new Charter of Democracy ? agreeing that the option of talks should never be closed ? and put forth demands including an ?independent? judiciary and election commission, as well as the release of ?political prisoners?, which it believed were necessary for restoring stability in the country.

Meanwhile, as proposals for talks between the government and the opposition remain in limbo, a clique of politicians ? under the banner of the ?National Dialogue Committee? (NDC) ? on Wednesday called for the release of all political prisoners to reduce acrimony and pave the way for reconciliation.