Section 144 violation: PTI leaders briefly detained outside Adiala jail

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf top leadership was released after a brief detention by Rawalpindi police outside Adiala Jail on Tuesday for violating Section 144.

Several senior leaders from the PTI, along with Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, were arrested when they attempted to meet former prime minister Imran Khan, who is imprisoned in Adiala Jail. Omar Ayub, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, Shibli Faraz, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, and SIC Chief Hamid Raza were among the PTI leaders detained.

In an Instagram post, the PTI stated, “Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Asad Qaiser, Ahmed Bhachar, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza have been arrested outside Adiala Jail, simply for exercising their right to meet with Imran Khan, as permitted by law.”

The PTI leaders have regularly met Imran Khan in prison to plan and coordinate political activities. The SIC, led by Raza, is a key ally of the PTI, and PTI lawmakers are currently listed as SIC members in parliament.

Reacting to the arrests, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said that a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan had been scheduled, with key leaders such as Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and Asad Qaiser arriving at the jail. However, Akram said that the leadership was made to wait until 3 p.m. and ultimately was not allowed to meet Imran Khan.

When the leaders attempted to leave, they were forcibly removed from their vehicles and taken into custody. Akram claimed the leaders, including Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, were dragged out of their cars.

Sahibzada Hamid Raza, Chairman of the SIC, was also detained, according to Akram, who condemned the arrests as an example of “fascism” and called for the immediate release of all detained leaders.

According to Rawalpindi Police spokesperson Sajjadul Hassan, the PTI members were detained for violating Section 144 but were released after receiving a warning. The spokesperson emphasised that the law would be enforced when necessary.

In a post on X, the PTI stated, “Absolutely shameful! Omar Ayub Khan, Shibli Faraz, Asad Qaiser, Ahmed Bhachar, and Sahibzada Hamid Raza have been arrested outside Adiala Jail, simply for exercising their right to meet Imran Khan, as permitted by law.”

The post added, “This should alarm anyone who values the rule of law, as it shows how basic freedoms are being trampled upon.”

The party described the action as an “assault on political freedoms” and urged the public to “peacefully protest.”

A post on Qaiser’s X account claimed that former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik was among those detained and stated that PTI leaders were “being arrested after being forced out of their vehicles.”

Following their release, the PTI leaders held a press conference condemning their detention. “The way we were dragged today unprovoked is an insult to the Constitution of Pakistan,” Faraz said.

“We went there to meet our leader peacefully. We hadn’t held a rally or shown any aggression, but we were neither allowed to leave nor meet Khan Sahab.”

Meanwhile, outraged PTI leaders demanded the immediate removal of top officials, including the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP), the IG Jail, and the interior secretary, for what they called unlawful detention and mistreatment.

They also announced plans to pursue all options, including legal action against those responsible for being denied the opportunity to meet their jailed leader as per court orders.

Speaking at a news conference at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House along with other PTI leaders after returning from Adiala Jail on Tusday, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub questioned how they could be denied a meeting with PTI’s founding chairman and then held against their will.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Bhachar, Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman and MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza, and PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram were also present.

Omar Ayub called for the requisition of Senate and National Assembly sessions to address this issue. He announced his intention to write to the chief justice of Pakistan and demanded the court-martial of a colonel stationed at the jail.

“I and Shibli, as leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly and Senate, are members of the judicial commission. Its meetings cannot proceed without us,” he said.

He accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, the Punjab IGP, the home minister, Adiala Jail authorities, and state agencies of orchestrating their “kidnapping and mistreatment,” vowing that legal action would be taken against them.

Omar Ayub condemned the treatment PTI leaders had received at Adiala Jail, saying that despite having a court order to meet Imran Khan, they were made to wait for hours and then detained.

“We arrived at Adiala Jail’s gate at 2pm with court orders and asked the jail officials if they would allow us to meet Imran Khan. We have been made to wait multiple times for up to six hours, only to be sent back without seeing our leader,” he claimed.

Omar lamented that the country had turned into a “banana republic” rife with anarchy and lawlessness. He said that privilege motions would be filed and FIRs registered against those responsible.

The NA opposition leader alleged that when they attempted to meet Imran Khan as per court orders, police dragged Ahmed Bhachar, Shibli Faraz, and him out of their cars, which displayed the national flag.

“Our drivers were also removed, and our cars were locked inside the police checkpoint. The police claimed they had orders to detain us,” he said.

Shibli Faraz expressed serious concern over the incident, saying they hadn’t yet recovered from the shock of members being taken from the National Assembly when this new incident occurred.

Speaking on the occasion, Hamid Raza warned against treating parliamentarians like criminals and vowed they would not tolerate such humiliation.

Malik Ahmed Bhachar said state institutions were mistaken if they believed they could intimidate PTI supporters through such unlawful measures.

Separately, PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned the “fascist” government for arresting the party’s top leaders outside Adiala Jail.