Gujranwala police have arrested dozens of the PML-N workers after conducting raids at their houses just ahead of the by-election in Wazirabad, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

The prominent among the arrested were PML-N District Information Secretary Mian Mudassir and former councillor Javed Mehar.

In reaction, the PML-N workers on Friday staged a noisy protest outside the office of returning officer in PP-51 Wazirabad as polling in the constituency got underway.

The protesters alleged that the police personnel have arrested several party workers including district secretary information Mian Mudassir.

Condemning the arrests, senior PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar accused the rulers of arresting party workers to divert their attention from the by-election and also to slow down the voting process.

“Our election is against the PTI and not the police. Government’s dirty tactics to divert our attention from the by-election will never succeed,” he maintained.

Talking to the media in Gujranwala, Tarar said there are reports of rigging in polling station number 80. “We will surround the CPO office if our workers are not freed,” he warned.