ISLAMABAD: Amid an ongoing crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) attacks on civilian and military installations on May 9, party leaders Shehryar Afridi and Ali Muhammad Khan were arrested shortly after being released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail on Tuesday, JEE News reported. Similarly, non-bailable arrest warrants for Senator Azam Swati were also issued by an Islamabad court.
Afridi along with his wife were picked up from their residence in Islamabad on May 16 under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) Ordinance 1960, which enables the government to arrest people who “In any way prejudicial to public safety”. However, his wife was later released on the orders of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
Immediately after his release from the jail, the policemen detained him again and shifted him to an unknown location. According to the jail administration, Afridi was released on completion of his house arrest under the MPO. The Deputy Commissioner of Rawalpindi has extended the detention of Afridi for another 15 days under the MPO.
Similarly, Ali Muhammad, who was arrested by the Islamabad Police under Section 3 of the MPO on May 21 from Islamabad and released on the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench, was re-arrested. went. The PTI leader was re-arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police from outside Adiala Jail under Section 3 of the MPO, Islamabad Police said in a statement.
The two were arrested after violent protests erupted across the country following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the IHC in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
During the days-long protest, which ended only after Khan’s release, angry PTI activists attacked private and government properties, including military installations – the Lahore Corps Commander’s House or Jinnah House and the General Headquarters ( GHQ) entrances.
Meanwhile, an Islamabad court has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for PTI leader Senator Azam Swati in connection with a controversial tweet.
Special Judge Central Azam Khan issued these warrants on the request of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after Azam Swati did not appear in court. Earlier, during the hearing of the case on Tuesday, the court also postponed the indictment due to Azam Swati’s absence. FIA prosecutor Rizwan Abbasi requested the court to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against him in case he did not appear in the court. “We executed the warrant issued earlier. However, Azam Swati was not at his residence when the officials reached there,” the investigating officer said.
When asked, Swati’s lawyer expressed ignorance of her whereabouts and said he could not contact his client. Adjourning the brief hearing, the learned judge summoned the officer sent to Swati’s house.
