— PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen Advocate also arrested from his Chambers
— Barrister Saif claims CM Gandapur went ‘missing’ on way to Islamabad
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police arrested to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan Sher Afzal Marwat, MNA, outside Parliament House following a National Assembly session on Monday.
Separately, PTI leader Shoaib Shaheen Advocate was also arrested from his Chambers by people in civilian clothes. Islamabad police spokesperson Jawad Taqi confirmed the arrest of the three PTI leaders.
Barrister Saif, the spokesman of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, told media that chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur was also missing for many hours while his cellphone was running switched off.
He told media that Gandapur had travelled to Islamabad for a meeting Monday morning but his phone has been running switched off. His staff’s phone is also switched off, he claimed.
According to police sources, PTI’s 28 leaders have been nominated and would be arrested including leader of the opposition Omar Ayub Khan, Zartaj Gul, Zain Qureshi, Amir Mughal and others for ‘violation of the NoC’ issued for the public gathering held on Sunday.
A heavy contingent of Police gathered outside Parliament House and also sealed the Red Zone completely. However, Zartaj Gul MNA and Ali Muhammad Khan managed to flee while Omar Ayub Khan, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Zain Qureshi, Sahibzada Hamid Raza and others were inside the Parliament building and tried to contact Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq but he was not reachable.
According to the parliamentary norms, Police cannot detain any lawmaker without informing Speaker National Assembly or Chairman Senate. Till the filing of the report, PTI lawmakers were still inside the parliament house while Police had encircled the parliament building.
A heavy police presence had gathered outside the Parliament House in anticipation. As PTI leaders exited the building, police took positions and swiftly moved to detain Marwat.
A scuffle reportedly broke out between Marwat’s supporters and the police during Marwat’s arrest. However, police managed to surround and apprehend the MNA, seizing his vehicle before leaving the scene.
While Sher Afzal Marwat was forcefully taken into custody, another PTI leader, Aamir Dogar, exited the Parliament House without any hindrance.
Sources indicate that Sher Afzal Marwat was arrested due to legal violations committed during last night’s rally.
The violations include disrupting the agreed route, breaching commitments, attacking Islamabad police, exceeding permitted timings, and delivering anti-state speeches.
Sources within Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have claimed that Advocate Shoaib Shaheen has also been arrested by police from his office.
Meanwhile, PTI leaders Aamir Dogar and Ali Muhammad Khan exited Parliament House without any hindrance.
Following Sher Afzal Marwat’s arrest, several PTI leaders and parliamentarians decided to remain inside the Parliament building. Barrister Gohar, Zain Qureshi, and Waqas Akram have since returned to the premises.
The police have stated that Zartaj Gul and Omar Ayub will also be arrested.
According to sources, PTI leader Zartaj Gul managed to evade arrest by sitting in the back seat of a car and deceiving the police, a claim confirmed by a PTI spokesperson.
The development took place hours after police in Islamabad filed three cases against the PTI leadership for failing to conclude last night’s rally on time, pelting stones on police officers, and violating designated routes.
The cases were registered under the Public Order and Peace Act, following the PTI’s public gathering at Islamabad’s Sangjani.
The first case was lodged at Sangjani Police Station for the rally exceeding its permitted time limit.
A second case was registered at Sumbal Police Station for violating the pre-approved route by leading convoys through Sadaat Colony and Srinagar Highway.
The third case, filed at Noon Police Station, pertains to stone-pelting on law enforcement officials, including senior superintendent of police (SSP) Safe City and other officers.
According to police sources, the prosecution has been prepared, with 28 local PTI leaders, including Sher Afzal Marwat, Zartaj Gul, Aamir Mughal, Shoaib Shaheen, Omar Ayub, Seemabia Tahir, and Raja Basharat, named in the cases.
The prosecution further alleges that PTI workers attacked police with stones and sticks after being stopped for route violations, leading to the arrest of 17 workers following the use of tear gas by authorities.
Earlier today, federal ministers Attaullah Tarar and Engineer Amir Maqam alleged that attendees at the opposition’s recent rally were forced to participate, accusing the opposition of using unethical tactics to fill their event.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the ministers criticized the opposition, particularly the Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, for his use of provocative language at the rally.
Yesterday, after a long gap, Imran Khan’s beleaguered party finally managed to hold a rally in Islamabad amid clashes with the capital’s police which left dozens of policemen and PTI workers injured.
Authorities had granted permission to the PTI to hold a public gathering in the capital on Sunday.
However, they had also turned Islamabad literally into a walled city with shipping containers blocking all the roads linking it to neighbouring Rawalpindi in anticipation of the rally and over 6,000 personnel of police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) manning the routes.
Public transportation, including the Metro Bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as well as the Green and Blue Line bus services within Islamabad, were suspended while trains arriving in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were delayed.
All hotels, guest houses, and shops around the gathering venue were also closed on the order of the relevant police station.
Interestingly, last month, Marwat announced that he would personally oversee the planning of all future rallies and protests, taking full responsibility should any incidents similar to those of May 9 occur.
He stressed that all future planning would be done independently, without consulting Imran Khan, to ensure any repercussions would fall solely on him.
Marwat reaffirmed his commitment to leading peaceful protests and urged PTI supporters, especially students, lawyers, and farmers, to actively join the movement against the current political situation.