ISLAMABAD: With Imran Khan remanded to NAB custody, the state went after the PTI’s remaining senior leadership on Wednesday. PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar was picked up from outside the Islamabad High Court, while Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry was arrested outside the Supreme Court late on Wednesday night after holing up there for almost the entire day to avoid a police contingent waiting for him outside.

The former information minister had entered the premises of the apex court at 11am. He had sought relief from the courts the entire day after he learnt that orders for his arrest had been issued.

“I tried to contact the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court, but it seems that the courts do not open for us at midnight to give relief,” he said while speaking to media persons before his arrest.

Mr Chaudhry was asked to leave the apex court by security after the night staff left. He subsequently decided to hand himself over to police, remarking that it was unusual for a lawyer to be arrested in such manner.

Mazari describes IHC as fertile grounds for arrest of party leaders

“The government has divided the lawyers; that is why it has been successful in arresting me,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Chaudhry had said in a post on social media that a heavy contingent of Islamabad police was present outside the Supreme Court to arrest him in sheer violation of the IHC orders, which had earlier directed that he not be arrested in any case till May 12.

Mr Chaudhry had also taken a dig at the government, suggesting that since the army had been called in by the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments to maintain order, it may finally be time to implement the SC orders to hold elections on May 14.

Qureshi refutes reports of arrest

Separately, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday night refuted reports of his arrest, stating that various strategies were being adopted to spread misinformation and create chaos and terror in a bid to “break the spirit” of PTI workers and supporters.

In a statement, the PTI vice chairman said he had not been detained hitherto and all such reports were false and concocted. He warned the state, saying it had made a big mistake and that the Pakistani people would not sit in their homes anymore, as they no longer had any fear.

Earlier, Mr Qureshi had urged the people to continue protesting peacefully, saying their captain was in good health and more determined than ever “despite being detained and tortured”. He said Mr Khan had sent a message to his workers that they should not lose heart. He also urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take immediate notice of the army’s deployment.

PTI Senior Vice President Dr Shireen Mazari on Wednesday came down hard on the government for the detention of Mr Umar, saying it seemed the IHC area had become a “fertile ground” for illegal arrests of PTI leaders. She said that since “they” could not get the terrorists, PTI leaders were now terrorists for the state.

Ms Mazari, too, complained that Mr Khan’s lawyers and the PTI’s senior leadership were not allowed to meet him in the makeshift NAB Court set up in the Police Lines Guest House.

“Many leaders and lawyers were not allowed inside premises. All signs of an­­other Kangaroo Court set up,” she added.

Ms Mazari concluded: “Cruel joke on the nation, as the corrupt go free but Imran Khan is victimised despite having never amassed wealth and having walked out of PM office with just his diary, which clearly depicts Pakistan is no place for honest leaders.”

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2023