ISLAMABAD, March 18: The president, Asif Ali Zardari Rehai (release) committee, Mubeen Ahmad Phalphoto on Monday condemned the continued incarceration of the PPP leader and termed it a tactic to blackmail the party.

Mr Phalphoto, who met Asif Zardari at the premises of an accountability court in Rawalpindi, said that the former PPP senator had been jailed because he had refused to give in or succumb to the demands of the military junta.

The former senator had been brought to the court in connection with the hearing in the SGS reference.

“Mr Zardari has been detained in a fabricated case despite the fact he has already been granted bail in all the references,” he maintained.

He also announced to hold a seminar on “Asif Zardari, a prisoner or a captive,” on April 14, which will be presided over by ARD chairman, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.

The committee will invite different politicians, representatives of human rights organizations, lawyers and ambassadors.

He also alleged that the Musharraf government was using the accountability process as a political tool against its opponents in a similar fashion as done by former dictators Ayub Khan and Ziaul Haq.