ISLAMABAD: The ‘crackdown’ on human rights advocates and political leaders continues — this time with the arrest of Imaan Mazari and Ali Wazir by the Islamabad Police, and Asad Umar by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Imaan Mazari, a human rights lawyer, and daughter of former human rights minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Dr Shireen Mazari, was picked from her home in the early hours of Sunday.
“Unknown persons breaking down my home cameras banging gate jumped over,” she tweeted shortly before her arrest.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi arrested in Islamabad
Her mother tweeted, “Just now, police women, plainclothes people and ranger types took my daughter away after breaking down our front door. Taking away our security cameras and her laptop and cell. We asked who they had come for and they just dragged Imaan out. They marched all over the house. My daughter was in her night clothes and said let me change but they just dragged her away. Of course no warrants or any legal procedure. State fascism. Remember we r only 2 women living in the house. Thus is an abduction.”
A statement issued by the Islamabad Police said both the “suspects” were wanted by police in an investigation, and that all the legal requirements were fulfilled prior to their arrests.
Earlier on Saturday, a case was registered against Wazir, Mazari and others for their participation in Pashtoon Tahafuz Movement (PTM) rally.
The text of the case registered in Tarnol police station stated that the accused took part in PTM rally—and that the rally violated the terms of permission issued to them. The rally was supposed to be held at a specified place in Tarnol whereas the participants of the rally “forcefully and unlawfully” marched towards Islamabad—causing traffic disruption and harm to public properties, the first information report (FIR) stated.
Separately, PTI leader Asad Umar was arrested by the FIA in connection with the cipher controversy. Reports suggested that he was arrested for investigation over the cipher leak. A day earlier, Vice Chairman PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi was also arrested in the same case. Some reports said that FIA denied having arrested Umar. However, till the filing of this report on Sunday night, Umar was reported to be in the agency’s custody.
Mazari, Wazir and Qureshi were separately presented in a city court in connection with respective cases against them. Mazari was sent to jail on judicial remand. Qureshi was issued one-day physical remand and Wazir was issued two-day physical remand.
Earlier this month, renowned American online publication The Intercept claimed that the United States State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove Imran Khan as Prime Minister over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The story published, for the first time, what is believed to be the complete text of the much-hyped cipher—prepared by the then Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan, which he sent to Pakistan’s government, containing details of his meeting with the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu.
“I think if the no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister succeeds, all will be forgiven in Washington because the Russia visit is being looked at as a decision by the Prime Minister,” Lu said, according to the document. “Otherwise,” he continued, “I think it will be tough going ahead.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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