Awami Muslim League (AML) leader and PTI ally, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, was arrested by Islamabad police in the early hours of Thursday, according to various media reports.

Confirming the incident, his nephew Sheikh Raashid Shafique told Geo News that the AML chief was arrested from his home in a private housing society in Islamabad.

He claimed that a raiding party of some 300 to 400 policemen allegedly ransacked his uncle’s house during their attempt to arrest him.

In a video message broadcast by ARY News, Sheikh Rashid said he was being moved to the Aabpara police station and claimed that he was arrested without any warrant.

It was not immediately clear what charges Mr Ahmed was arrested on.

However, earlier this week, a PPP leader had filed a complaint against him for accusing former president Asif Ali Zardari of plotting the assassination of PTI chief Imran Khan.

Reacting to the arrest, the PTI chairman condemned the move. “Never in our history have we had such a biased, vindictive caretaker government appointed by totally discredited ECP. Question is: can Pak afford a street movement which we are being pushed towards at a time when we have been bankrupted by imported government?” he tweeted.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023