PTI leaders, SIC chief released following brief detention

RAWALPINDI: RAWALPINDI: The Punjab police have released the top leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Hamid Raza following brief detention for allegedly violating Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

PTI leaders Omar Ayub, MNA Asad Qaiser along with Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chief Hamid Raza were taken into custody as they were waiting outside the Adiala jail for meeting PTI founder Imran Khan.

Imran Khan, the former prime minister, has been imprisoned for more than a year now and the PTI leaders often hold meetings with him to discuss their political strategies. Raza's SIC is an ally of Khan's party and the PTI lawmakers are currently shown as SIC members in parliament.

Aliya Hamza Malik was also part of the delegation that came to meet the PTI founder; however, she was not arrested as she was standing at a distance from the other leaders.

Ayub, the opposition Leader in the National Assembly, prior to his arrest, told reporters that the party leaders had arrived at Adiala jail after a court allowed them to meet Imran.

In conversation with Geo News, Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz said that they had come to meet the PTI founder to discuss the protest strategy with him as well as exchange views on the party's future strategy.

In response, police personnel informed Geo News that the top politicians had been arrested for violating Section 144, which was imposed in Pindi earlier this week ahead of the party's anticipated rally.

In a statement, the former ruling party said that the politicians were arrested "unjustly" for "simply exercising their right to meet with Imran Khan, as permitted by law". The PTI also demanded: "Immediately release them!"

On the other hand, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Rawalpindi issued an arrest warrant for PTI leader Sheikh Waqas Akram in two "terrorism" cases registered against him at the Police Station Hassan Abdal in the Attock district.

The warrant was issued against the PTI leader for not appearing in court.

The arrest of the party's top-tier leadership is not new as they've been facing similar circumstances for months and the party leaders also remain embroiled in various legal cases.

In September, Islamabad police arrested PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat and others outside the Parliament House in Islamabad for allegedly violating a law relating to peaceful assembly and public order during the party's rally in the federal capital — however, they were later released.

The detention of PTI leaders is likely to exacerbate the existing political polarisation between the opposition party and the ruling coalition in light of the former's announcement of holding a "do-or-die" protest to restore judicial independence and Khan's secure freedom.

Last week, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur vowed to secure the release of the PTI founder, saying: "They are even ready to "sacrifice their lives for this purpose".

“Even if our lives are lost, we will not rest until the release of PTI founder,” he roared at a public gathering organised by the PTI in KP's Swabi, adding, "There is no freedom without sacrifice."

Referring to the PTI's potential march on Islamabad, Gandapur had said: "We will not return until the release of the PTI founder."