ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Tuesday was of the unanimous view that detention of PTI leader and former minister for human rights Shireen Mazari was an act of political victimisation.

The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights also condemned a raid on Senator Walid Iqbal’s residence in Lahore and said such incidents were clear cases of political victimisation.

The committee on Tuesday held a meeting under the chairmanship of Senator Walid Iqbal at the Parliament House to take cognizance of the recent arrest of Ms Mazari.

The committee was informed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) police that they only provided assistance in the arrest of Ms Mazari upon the request of the Anti-Corruption Department Punjab. The request was received through the office of the chief commissioner ICT.

The Ministry of Interior informed the committee that the request from the Home Department Punjab was directly sent to the Islamabad administration and the ministry had nothing to do with the matter.

The members were informed that a summary for the formation of a judicial commission as directed by the Islamabad High Court had been moved by the ministry.

The director administration ICT, who also attended the meeting, said a letter was received in their office from the Punjab Home Department for the arrest of Ms Mazari.

The director of the Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab said Ms Mazari was allegedly violating the rights of 310 families and the procedure was adopted as laid down in 1898. The director said the department was ready to defend the case in the judicial commission being constituted on the IHC order.

Ms Mazari told the meeting: “It was not an arrest. It was an act of disappearing.”

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2022