LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz struck out against the federal government over the arrest of PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar, who was arrested during election campaign of his party’s candidate Syeda Nosheen Zahray Shah in Daska for by elections of NA-75.
“The way [Attaullah Tarar] was arrested and released is reflective of extreme fear, confusion and disarray in the jaali govt camp,” the party vice president said on popular micro-blogging site, Twitter.
Similarly, PML-N leader Tallal Chaudhry called Tarar’s arrest an attempt by the Punjab government to hurt the party’s campaign.
“This arrest without any allegation or FIR is a kidnapping,” Chaudhry said. “We will give a massive reaction over it.”
PML-N stalwart Marriyum Aurangzeb termed his arrest an act of “kidnapping” as the police booked him “without an arrest warrant”, adding that the “fascist government” was taking such steps as they were aware of their “failure” in the by-elections.
She claimed that the PML-N leader was not nominated in any case, adding that the government was trying to harass the opposition.
It is pertinent to mention that the federal government had the PML-N have offered conflicting reports on the incident. The police had stopped a PML-N convoy in Gujranwala, in which MNA Javed Latif, Tarar, and other leaders were present.
Reportedly, the police had found a gun in the possession of the PML-N Gujranwala president and had shifted him into their car. In reaction to this move, Tarar and the other leaders had asked to go with their party member.
The PML-N leader, along with his workers, has been taken to City Police Station Wazirabad.
According to the government, the PML-N leaders had come along voluntarily, while the PML-N has taken the stance that it was an arrest.
The superintendent for operation in the city had told a local news station that “only the people bearing weapons were arrested, however, the PML-N leaders came voluntarily”.
Following the so-called arrest, PML-N workers and MPAs staged a sit-in outside the City Police Station demanding their workers and leaders’ release.
Tarar was released shortly after his arrest. He vowed that he would respond to “every injury in kind” after he was released.
“[Police] attacked us as they stopped [our convoy] for checking the weapon’s license,” he said, adding that the officers allegedly assaulted a party leader’s employees. He claimed that along with him and his coworkers, the police had tortured those bystanders who attempted to record the incident.
Tarar lamented the fact that the police were becoming a player within the elections, but asserted that the PML-N knew how to deal with them.
On the other hand, Special Assistant to Chief Minister of Punjab Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan claimed that Tarar had never been placed under arrest, further issuing the rhetoric that a person who has not been arrested cannot be released.
She claimed that the PML-N deputy secretary-general had forced his way into the police van to create the illusion of an arrest. “The police had summoned a PML-N leader Abid Raza after they found an unlicensed weapon from his possession during a PML-N rally,” she maintained.
She said that the “drama” orchestrated by the PML-N had resulted in a “siege” at the police station.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader Usman Dar stepped down from his role as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) On Youth Affairs to contest the campaign for the upcoming by-election in a National Assembly constituency in Sialkot (NA-75) – the same constituency as Tarar’s arrest.
He will resume his official duty as the prime minister’s special assistant after the election.
Earlier, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) served him a notice over running the campaign for the by-poll despite holding a government post. He decided to relinquish his post in light of the election rules to run the campaign.
Meanwhile, the PML-N is planning to hold a rally in Sialkot on Saturday where party VP Maryam Nawaz will address her party’s supporters there.
