The Islamabad police has arrested several key leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during a rally held in the Sangjani area of the capital and not following the allocated deadline to end the event.
The police action took place late on Monday night and led to the arrest of prominent figures such as PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shoaib Shaheen, Zain Qureshi, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and 12 other PTI members.
Marwat was detained while returning from a National Assembly session, and Shoaib Shaheen apprehended from his residence. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan was arrested outside the Parliament House in a coordinated operation. In addition, Marwat's private security guard was taken into custody for allegedly resisting the police during the arrest. The arrests were carried out at the gate of the Parliament House and inside it.
Among those arrested were PTI MNA Maulana Naseem Shah, Aamir Dogar, Owais, Ahmad Chattha, Syed Shah Ahad, and Yousuf Khan. Another MNA, Zubair Khan, who represents South Waziristan, was also taken into custody shortly after exiting the Parliament House.
Authorities had sealed off Islamabad's Red Zone, sparking fears that more PTI leaders may be detained. Police officials stated that the arrests were linked to an FIR filed after the Sangjani rally. Arrests of more key figures, including Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul, were expected.
Law enforcement officers cited a range of charges, including non-compliance with rally regulations, clashing with police personnel, and making anti-state speeches during the gathering.
Later, police said all the detained members were subsequently transferred to the Secretariat Police Station. The Islamabad police have announced that the arrested leaders will be produced in courts today for remand.
On the other hand, PTI senior leader Salman Akram Raja criticised the manner in which the arrests were made, stating that it violated the sanctity of parliament. "Barrister Gohar did not turn himself in, but was arrested," he stressed.
He emphasized that the people of Pakistan would not forget this incident and that the PTI remains committed to democratic values.
SCBA condemns arrests
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has strongly condemned the arrests of Barrister Gohar, Shoaib Shaheen, and Sher Afzal Marwat, who are also advocates of the Supreme Court and members of the SCBA. The association has demanded the immediate release of these individuals, deeming their arrests illegal, as a form of political revenge and a violation of freedom of expression.
"Arrests for participating in political activities are unjustified," the association noted. It further urged the government to consider the constitutional values and avoid such measures. "If the lawyers are not released immediately, a nationwide protest will be called," the SCBA warned.
Meanwhile, in Rawalpindi, a raid was conducted on the residence of PTI Punjab leader Raja Basharat at his Dhamial House. However, Basharat was not present at the time, and the police were unable to apprehend him, said a spokesman.
The police also raided the house of PTI leader Shahryar Riaz late at night, however he too could not be arrested. Police officials left after questioning Riaz's employees.
Speaker's consent
Sources in the National Assembly speaker's office have said that the arrests of all the MNAs were carried out in accordance with the rules and with the NA speaker’s approval. A copy of the FIR was also sent to the speaker's office, outlining the charges against the MNAs related to the SOP violations at the Sangjani rally.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had reportedly forbidden any arrests from within the parliament premises. According to the rules, the police informed the speaker of the allegations against these arrested members, the sources added.
