Asad Qaiser sent to Swabi judicial lock-up

SWABI: A local court on Thursday sent the former speaker of the National Assembly and a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader, Asad Qaiser, to the Swabi judicial lockup after the expiry of his two-day physical remand.

He appeared in the court of judicial magistrate Mohammad Khalil Khan which issued the order.

Insaf Lawyers Forum office-bearers told reporters they had submitted an application for his bail in a court.

The Anti-Corruption Department (ACD) had registered a case against him on Nov 2 for his alleged involvement in corruption in purchasing equipment for the Bacha Khan Teaching Hospital along with four doctors.

He was picked up from his Banigala residence, Islamabad, on the following day and had appeared in a court here on Tuesday.

The court had handed over him to ACD for a two-day physical remand.

Talking to the newsmen, Asad Qaiser said the PTI wanted a level-playing field and free and fair elections in the country.

He said PTI leaders were not afraid of cases being lodged against them but alleged that the party leaders and workers were being harassed which was a condemnable act.

Asad Qaiser said the PTI workers were not being allowed to take part in political activities, adding the party leadership had decided to challenge the curbs in the court.

He also advised the district administration to work within the law and avoid doing anything against the Constitution.