LAHORE: The Punjab police arrested Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Afzal Marwat from outside the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday.
Marwat was leaving the high court premises after attending a lawyers’ convention when a heavy contingent of police arrested him. Police officers dragged him by the collar as several lawyers tried to stop them.
According to the police, the PTI leader was arrested under the MPO and shifted to Mazang police station. Last week, the PTI leader had alleged an attempted “abduction” by KP police while en route to Gulabad near Chakdara for a party convention scheduled in Bajaur.
Before this, an FIR was registered against Marwat and others for organizing a worker’s convention in Swabi. The charges against him fell under sections 120-B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Last month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted protective bail to Marwat in two cases registered against him in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The PTI described the ‘abduction’ as ‘absolutely shameful’ and said it represented “the respect for courts in the eyes of those in power.” The lawyers urged LHC judges to ensure Marwat’s safe recovery.
In a separate statement, it said Marwat’s arrest was a “manifestation of the prevailing lawlessness in the country and the fear and cowardice of the people in power.”
“These unconstitutional and illegal tactics aim to escape from the elections and impose on the public those who were brought under the ‘London plan,’” the PTI alleged, adding that the “continued silence of the judiciary” was encouraging such illegal actions.
While speaking to media persons, PTI Chairman Gohar Khan also condemned Marwat’s arrest. He said such actions against the party would affect free and fair elections in the country.
PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan said Marwat was apprehended by Punjab police when he was en route to address lawyers in Lahore.
“These tactics show the absolute moral bankruptcy of the illegal caretaker corrupt chief minister Mohsin Naqvi and a spineless Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar.”
“The Constitution of Pakistan has been rendered useless and is, in effect, held in abeyance by the actions of the caretaker federal government. Parliamentary democracy does not exist in Pakistan at this moment in time. Anarchy rules in Pakistan,” he said.
PTI’s Ali Muhammad Khan condemned Marwat’s “uncalled for arrest” and demanded he be immediately released.
Marwat was appointed as the PTI’s SVP last month. He represented the PTI chief Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case, where the court convicted the former premier for three years. His proximity to the PTI founder only grew when he launched a tirade against trial court judge Humayun Dilawar during the proceedings of the Toshakhana trial, and he was subsequently inducted into the PTI core committee.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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