Imran takes Punjab govt to task over nephews' arrest

Published July 3, 2015
PTI Chairman Imran Khan takes the Punjab government to task over the recent arrests of two of his nephews by Punjab police for allegedly violating traffic rules. — Online/File
PTI Chairman Imran Khan takes the Punjab government to task over the recent arrests of two of his nephews by Punjab police for allegedly violating traffic rules. — Online/File

In a series of inflammatory tweets on his official Twitter account, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday took the Punjab government to task over the recent arrests of two of his nephews by Punjab police for allegedly violating traffic rules.

The PTI chief questioned the police's actions and whether traffic violations warrant such a reaction. He claimed that his nephews were mistreated "because of who they are".

Referring to the media's immediate arrival at the scene as "strange", Imran claimed that the incident was arranged. Hitting out at Punjab's police force, Khan said that "Punjab police have become Gullus".

Vouching for his nephews as "decent youngsters", Imran expressed his satisfaction over their upbringing. He also said that his nephews did not use their relationship with Imran Khan for their own vested interests.

The PTI chief said that it was "shameful" how Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had called his sister as he is responsible for his province's police and turning it into a "monster force".

Imran said that he will pursue this case to "expose" the Punjab government which, he alleged, is using its police force for political victimisation.

Read: Imran Khan's nephew arrested in Lahore

Two nephews of Imran were arrested on Wednesday from Lahore's Race Course area after they allegedly hurled abuses at a traffic warden who stopped them for violating traffic rules. They were released on bail on Thursday. A case was registered against the two for "threatening to kill" and "obstructing the job" of a government official.

Also read: Imran Khan's nephews released on bail

Khan's nephews were released on bail with a surety bond of Rs 50,000 each, as their lawyer had claimed all sections are bailable offenses. The lawyer had alleged that the accused were tortured while in police custody. A magistrate had ordered a medical examination to verify the claims.

Speaking to media representatives on Thursday, Imran's sister Dr Uzma said she had filed a complaint against the alleged torture of her children in police custody. She said her boys were beaten with butts of guns during custody and the complaint was her effort to ensure that no one else's children face such treatment in future.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

TECHNOLOGY divides us. According to a new UNDP report on Pakistan, titled Doing Digital for Development — Access,...
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...