- ATC sends Omer Sarfraz Cheema on 14-day judicial remand
- LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ali Muhammad Khan, Qasim Suri and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry were arrested from Islamabad on Thursday.
As of now, the party leaders – Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ejaz Ch, Ali Muhammad Khan, Asad Umar, Fawad Ch, Qasim Suri, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Falknaz Chitrali, Musrat Jamsheed Cheema and Malika Bukhari have been arrested.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi was arrested in the wee hours of Thursday while former federal minister Ali Muhammad Khan was arrested by the Secretariat Police SHO from Serena Gate while Senator Ejaz Chaudhry was also been arrested from the capital.
According to the ICT Police, the PTI leaders have been arrested under the Section 3 MPO (Maintenance of Public Order).
The ICT Police said that the PTI leaders were arrested for “inciting arson and violent protests under a plan for threatening peace”.
The ICT statement added that the arrests were made in compliance with legal requirements, warning that “more arrests are expected”.
“Avoid spreading rumors and incitement in public,” the capital police stated.
A day earlier, Fawad Chaudhry was apprehended by the police as he emerged from the Supreme Court building, where he had sought refuge for over 12 hours in an attempt to evade his impending arrest.
PTI Secretary General Asad Umar was also arrested from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday. Umar was reportedly arrested by the Islamabad police from the gate near the IHC’s writ branch.
Former Punjab governor Omar Sarfaraz Cheema was arrested during the wee hours of Wednesday morning in a raid at his house by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab.
The crackdown on the PTI leadership comes after the arrest of PTI chairman and deposed premier Imran Khan who was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case from the premises of the IHC, where he was present for two hearings.
It is worth mentioning here that Section 3 MPO mentioned that the government, if satisfied that with a view to preventing any person from acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety or the maintenance of public order, it is necessary to do, may, by an order in writing, direct the arrest and detention in such custody Power to arrest and detain suspected persons.
Qasim Suri from federal capital
Meanwhile, PTI leader and former deputy speaker of National Assembly Qasim Suri was arrested from the capital on Thursday.
The police took PTI leader Qasim Suri in custody from Gilgit Baltistan house in Islamabad.
Islamabad police earlier hinted at more arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders following the violent protests and vandalism after Imran Khan’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case. All the arrests were made in accordance with the law, the spokesperson added.
ATC sends Omer Sarfraz Cheema on judicial remand
On the other hand, An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Thursday sent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omer Sarfraz Cheema to jail on 14-day judicial remand in a case, registered under charges of terrorism, attacking the police and setting Askari Tower in Gulberg ablaze.
ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan heard the case wherein the Gulberg Police produced the accused persons, including Sameer Ahmad, Mohsin Azad, Usman Akhtar, Zaighum, Ayaz Talat, Huzaifa Amjad, Anees Ahmad, Muhammad Khalid, Tanveer Ahmad and Ali Ahmad, besides Omer Sarfraz Cheema.
The court, after brief proceedings, sent Omer Sarfraz Cheema on judicial remand. The court also sent 11 PTI workers to jail on 7-day judicial remand for identification parade and directed the police to produce the accused on expiry of their remand term.
The Lahore’s Gulberg police had registered a case against the PTI leaders and workers for attacking the police and setting the Askari Tower in Gulberg ablaze.
