Police officials told JEE News that Hassaan Niazi, the focal person for legal affairs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, was arrested outside the Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad on Monday.
Police said that Niazi has been arrested for resisting at the police post.
Advocate Faisal Chaudhry filed an application in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the release of the PTI leader. The petition stated that “Police abducted Hassaan Niazi from the premises of the judicial complex after he was granted bail in a case”.
Niazi was arrested after appearing before the ATC where the cases registered against PTI leaders and activists were being heard at Islamabad’s Raman police station.
ATC judge Raja Jawad Abbas was hearing the case.
Among the party leaders present in the court were Shibli Faraz, Umar Ayub, Raja Khurram, Amir Mehmood Kayani and Farrukh Habib among others.
All the above leaders as well as party workers have been booked on terror charges for the violence outside the judicial complex on Saturday where Khan canceled their non-bailable arrest warrants in the Tosha Khana case. .
On Saturday, PTI workers clashed with the police and damaged public property. They also set fire to 10 police motorcycles outside the judicial complex and overturned a police officer’s car.
When the ousted prime minister – whose government was sent home after a no-confidence motion last April – arrived at the judicial complex late, clashes forced him to leave the complex’s premises.
Faraz, who is also facing a terrorism case, reached the court today in a wheelchair.
The police had gone to arrest the PTI leader at his residence a day ago.
The court also accepted the bail pleas of PTI leaders Farrukh Habib, Raja Khurram, Shibli Faraz, Asad Qaiser, Amir Mehmood Kayani, Murad Saeed, Mohammad Asim, Hammad Azhar, Ghulam Sarwar and Hassan Niazi.
Bail applications have been granted till April 3 against a surety bond of Rs 50,000.
During the hearing of the cases, the ATC judge remarked that “there are so many suspects that [we] have to move history back and forth.”
Hassaan Niazi “abducted”
Meanwhile, the PTI claims that the focal person for Khan’s legal affairs has been “hijacked” by Superintendent of Police Naushirwan Ali Chandev, despite being granted bail in all cases registered against him.
“This is the culmination of police brutality. Hassaan Niazi, a lawyer who was just granted bail by the court, has been abducted,” the party tweeted.
تمام مقدمات میں ضمانت کے باوجود SP نوشیروان نے دہشت گردی عدالت کے باہر سے @HniaziISF کو اغوا کرلیا ہے۔ پولیس گردی کی انتہا ہوگئی ہے حسان نیازی وکیل جس کی ابھی عدالت نے ضمانت منظور کی ہے اسکو اغوا کرلیا ہے
— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 20, 2023
pic.twitter.com/C3xTnUcKwF
Insaf Lawyers Forum tweeted, “Barrister @HniaziISF has been illegally abducted by SP Naushirwan of @ICT_Police despite being on bail. We condemn this fascism and demand his immediate release,” Insaf Lawyers Forum tweeted. Lawyers Forum tweeted.
The forum demanded that the country’s chief justice take notice of this “flagrant violation of laws.”
The tweet read, “The rule of law is suspended in Pakistan.
Barrister @HniaziISF has been abducted illegally by @ICT_Police’s SP Nausherwan despite being on bail.
— Insaf Lawyers Forum (@InsafLawyersPK) March 20, 2023
We condemn this fascism and demand his immediate release.
The Chief Justice must take notice of this blatant violation of laws.
The Rule of Law in Pakistan stands suspended.
PTI leader Farrukh Habib wrote that police were stationed on both sides of the ATC, so that they could arrest him.
“According to the lawyers, the police repeatedly said that they had received special orders to pick up Hassaan Niazi and Farrukh Habib. The lawyers informed me of their intentions. I evaded them and escaped after getting bail. ,” he wrote on Twitter.
ATCکورٹ اسلام آباد کی دونوں جانب پولیس کھڑی کی گئی تاکہ ہمیں اغوا کرسکے۔وکلا کے بقول پولیس والے بار بار یہ کہہ رہے تھے آج @HniaziISF اور فرخ حبیب کو خصوصی توڑ پر اٹھانے کا حکمنامہ ملا ہے
— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) March 20, 2023
مجھے وکلا نے انکے عزائم کا بتایا میں وہاں سے ضمانت ملتے ہی ابھی انکو چکمہ دے کر نکل آیا ہوں https://t.co/46IOougpaN pic.twitter.com/0Dnfqb1tFm
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry termed Niazi’s arrest as “unacceptable” on Twitter.
“The arrest of @HniaziISF is unacceptable, he has been arrested from the court premises despite assurances from ILF lawyers and bar associations to join the protest,” Fawad wrote in his tweet.
Arrest of @HniaziISF is unacceptable, he has been arrested from Court premises despite bail call upon ILF lawyers and Bar Associations to join in protest https://t.co/ohfgGXkr3v
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 20, 2023
Condemning the development, the party’s secretary general Asad Umar said that the Constitution seems suspended following Niazi’s arrest.
“Hassaan Niazi has been arrested despite getting bail from the court. The Constitution now appears to be suspended,” his tweet read.
عدالت سے ضمانت ملنے کے بعد حسان نیازی کو گرفتار کر لیا گیا۔ آئن اب معطل ہی نظر آ رہا ہے
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) March 20, 2023
Police did not arrest any children.
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Capital Police spokesperson has rejected claims of arresting a 10-year-old minor, citing propaganda against the police and other law enforcement agencies.
“Police has not arrested any 10-year-old minor. A hateful propaganda is being spread on social media to prevent [us] from fulfilling our legal duties.” The spokesman said.
The ICT added that the police are discharging their duties within the ambit of the law.
“The law is equal for all. Parents should keep their young children away from the crowd,” the spokesman said.
اسلام آباد کیپیٹل پولیس اور دیگر قانون نافذ کرنیوالے اداروں کے خلاف سوشل میڈیا پر منظم پراپیگنڈہ مہم چلائی جارہی ہے۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) March 20, 2023
اسلام آباد پولیس نے کسی 10 سال کے کم عمر بچے کو گرفتار نہیں کیا۔ پولیس افسران کو ان کے قانونی فرائض سے روکنے کے لئے نفرت انگیز پراپیگنڈہ کیا جارہا ہے۔⬇️
Earlier today, the PTI chief claimed that police in Islamabad raided PTI workers’ homes without warrants to abduct them and “picked up” their children as young as 10 when the workers were at home. were not
Fascism is at an unprecedented level in Islamabad with police raiding homes without warrants to abduct PTI workers. Children below 10 years of age are picked up where a worker is not present.
Fascism at unprecedented levels with police in Islamabad raiding homes without warrants to abduct PTI workers. Where the worker is not present, children as young as 10 yrs are picked up. We demand the immediate release of all our workers & their children who have been abducted.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 19, 2023
Khan further demanded the “immediate release” of his party workers and their children.
“We demand the immediate release of all our workers and their children who have been abducted,” he wrote in his tweet.
IHC hearing on Khan’s petition seeking details of cases
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Amir Farooq heard another case of Imran Khan seeking details of the cases filed against him in the Islamabad High Court, in which a notice has been issued to all the parties to submit their responses by March 27. .
The court also called for the records of all the cases registered within the limits of the federal capital.
During the hearing, where the PTI chief was represented by lawyer Faisal Chaudhry, there was also a discussion on the ATC hearing on violence in the judicial complex.
“Nothing went right on Saturday. What difference does it make if you and I both make a mistake?” The judge remarked.
Chaudhry said that the party has no place other than the courts.
Meanwhile, the lawyer said there were 47 cases registered against the PTI chairman in Islamabad, while the police kept some First Information Reports (FIRs) “secret”.
In response to Chaudhry, Justice Farooq said that the FIR is not sealed because it is a public document. He said that the police demand an investigation.
The judge assured to take notice according to his jurisdiction. He also questioned the PTI counsel that he was asked about the decision regarding PTI Senator Azam Swati, which said that cases were registered against the politician across the country.
Chaudhry said during the hearing that if told, we will take legal action.
