Police, FIA raid central PTI office in capital

ISLAMABAD: Senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were arrested on Monday at the party’s central secretariat in Islamabad.

The Interior Ministry confirmed the raid and the arrest of the PTI leaders. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior stated that Islamabad police had arrested PTI Coordinator Ahmed Waqas Janjua.

The spokesperson revealed that initialinvestigations and digital evidence indicate PTI’s digital media wing’s involvement in anti-state propaganda. Meanwhile, a joint team comprising Islamabad police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) raided the PTI Central Secretariat and detained PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan.

A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) is being formed to probe the matter further. Heavy contingents of police and other law enforcement agencies surrounded the PTI’s main secretariat in the G-8 Sector on Monday morning. Several individuals working in the office, including PTI Spokesperson Raoof Hasan, were detained by uniformed Islamabad police officials.

Police sources mentioned that PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was also initially arrested alongside Hasan, but was later released. Barrister Gohar subsequently announced that he was not arrested and remains free, whereas Raoof Hasan was taken.

The PTI claimed that five women leaders were also arrested by the joint raiding party and are still in the lockup of a police station. Sources said that all records recovered from the PTI Secretariat were handed over to the FIA Cybercrime Wing for further analysis. Officials involved in the investigation disclosed that the initial examination of the recovered materials revealed content deemed objectionable and targeting the state and its institutions.

Later, PTI leadership held a joint news conference where the party strongly condemns terrorism in every form, but said that the Parliament should be taken into confidence on whatever operation the government wanted to do.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar strongly condemned the police raid on the party’s Central Secretariat without having a search warrant, adding that Raoof Hasan was a cancer patient. “Affidavits of our MNAs and MPAs of KP and Punjab were in the central office. During the raid, the police took all those affidavits into custody while Raoof Hasan was unwell so I was present with him. The police said I can go, as there is no case against me,” he explained.

Gohar continued that they don’t know about the whereabouts of 10 other workers, saying they [rulers[ will gain nothing from this lawlessness. He clarified that PTI’s position is that a briefing should be given before the operation.

After the verdict of the Supreme Court, he claimed, “our MNAs are being picked up, lured, and Raoof Hasan was arrested without FIR and inquiry”. PTI’s Secretary General Omar Ayub, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, also talked about the raid on the party office and claimed that the MP’s affidavits were the target.

“The government of Form 47 is not digesting the decision of the Supreme Court. It was a good term legal spectrum, used by the DG ISPR. Wheat was imported during the tenure of the former interior minister, and Rs450 billion was defrauded in the wheat scandal. Let there be a commission on this scandal, as there are now gossips about wheat export, while local farmers’ backbone was broken by not buying their wheat,” he contended. He emphasised that the press conference of DG ISPR was an indictment against the incompetence of the civilian government, adding that Atta Tarar should have held this press conference, not the DG ISPR.

Omar Ayub also pointed out that ‘digital terrorism’ was mentioned and noted that when “we ask that wrong laws are being used against us, is it digital terrorism? The DG ISPR gives examples of countries where there is dictatorship. The DG ISPR had to hold a press conference due to the failure of Muslim League-Nawaz. Today [Monday]’s news conference was an indictment against the incompetence of the government”.

“If you want to ask for an account of Benami accounts, then ask Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif. The DG ISPR should take initiative against corruption, we will support him.” He said that smugglers should be arrested and brought to the fore, adding that besides other things non-custom paid vehicles and petrol worth Rs500 billion are being smuggling from Iran and each truck pays Rs3 to 3.5 million.

“Those who have resources should target smuggling of cigarettes, diesel and other illegal activities at the borders, along with agencies as the PTI leaders are not equipped with those resources to do so,” he maintained.

He also contended that Necta was mentioned in the DG ISPR news conference: Terrorism was reduced during PTI three-year period. He quoted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur as saying that there should be an inquiry into the Bannu incident.

Omar Ayub said they would wage a legal battle for Raoof Hasan. Former National Assembly speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser said that the party MNAs are getting three types of offers: money, ministry, or be get ready for cases, asking the incumbent NA speaker if the country would run like that.

“Mian Sahib! I know you don’t have enough courage. Shehbaz Sharif, don’t cross the line, you will start the war, we will end it. We want stability in the country,” he asserted. “False cases were made against our leader. We are coming out on Friday, we will come out for the freedom of the country, restoration of the Constitution and against inflation. We invite all political parties to participate in Friday’s protests”.