PTI’s Barrister Gohar, Marwat among other leaders arrested outside parliament: Police
PTI leaders Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, and Advocate Shoaib Shaheen were apprehended by the Islamabad Police outside the Parliament under the cloak of night on Monday, a police official disclosed.
Islamabad Police Spokesperson Jawad Taqi verified the capture of the trio to Dawn.com.
Highlighting the arrest of Marwat, who was apparently the first to be seized, PTI declared in a post on X, ‘The PML-N government is utterly appalled by this maneuver against a sitting MNA. Shame on you.’
‘This should be seen as a direct assault on democracy,’ the post asserted.
The party accused the capital police of executing ‘illegal orders’ and implored the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Islamabad, to ‘cease this practice.’
In another impassioned post on X, PTI decried the ‘illegal’ arrest of party chairman Barrister Gauhar.
‘This is a moment of disgrace for the entire Parliament, as it should be viewed as a direct attack on the remnants of democracy in Pakistan. The Speaker of the National Assembly should be mortified for disgracing Parliament. Pakistan has plunged deeper into an undeclared state of martial law,’ the post contended.
A statement on X from Marwat’s account proclaimed, ‘The state has once again demonstrated how terrified it is of (Imran) Khan and his followers!’
‘Remember, the person they are dragging is neither a terrorist nor a murderer. His sole crime is his allegiance to Imran Khan, advocating for the poor, championing the voice of Pakistan. He speaks of the supremacy of democracy, the liberties of Pakistanis, and the rule of law!’
Opposition leader Umar Ayub Khan vehemently condemned the arrests and claimed that Islamabad police had assembled teams to apprehend him, PTI leader Zartaj Gul Wazir, and ‘other comrades.’
“This fascist regime and its backers have gone completely mad,” Omar wrote in a statement on X. “Just found out that they have included my name along with Zartaj Gul sahiba and other colleagues in 2 additional FIRs. Islamabad Police teams have been made for our arrests.”
He added that other PTI lawmakers were still inside Parliament House, unable to leave due to the presence of police.
“Our only crime is that we have dared to challenge the status quo and raised our voice for our beloved leader, PM Imran Khan sahib. We will continue doing so,” he added.
PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari strongly condemned the arrests, demanding leaders be released immediately.
“Over a year now and they are still using the same tactics that have failed again and again,” he said in a statement on X.
“These illegal arrests won’t change anything. Only increase the public’s anger and hate towards this puppet government and backers.”
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association also condemned the arrest of its members — Marwat and Advocate Shaheen, former president of the association — and called for the immediate release of the duo, according to a statement on X shared by PTi lawyer Ali Ijaz Buttar.