SWAT/CHARSADDA: The police on Wednesday arrested Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Swat president and former MNA Salimur Rehman from the court premises after his bail-before-arrest was cancelled.

He was on the run after an FIR was registered against him and 250 other PTI workers in sedition and terrorism cases under sections 153A, 500, 504, 505 and 506 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of Anti-Terrorist Act.

Apart from him, former MPAs Fazal Hakim Khan and Mian Sharafat Ali, Mingora city mayor Shahid Ali Khan and about 250 workers of PTI were accused of instigating people against the government and state institutions by holding a rally at Nishat Chowk in Mingora.

A few days ago, Mr Rehman had got pre-arrest bail from the Swat Anti-Terrorism Court, but his BBA was cancelled on Wednesday by the same court.

Meanwhile, former provincial law minister Fazal Shakoor Khan among four PTI leaders was arrested from the court premises after their BBA was cancelled by the Charsadda District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Naz on Wednesday.

Mr Shakoor, PTI Charsadda president Azizullah Khan, Jamsheed Khan and Alam Khan had earlier secured BBA from the same court in the May 9 riots case. However, on Wednesday the judge cancelled their BBA and issued order for their arrest.

The Charsadda police arrested the PTI leaders from the court premises and sent them to lock-up.

The Charsadda city and Prang police had registered FIRs against PTI provincial and district level leaders and workers for allegedly torching motorway toll plaza in Charsadda.

The judge directed to present them in the court on Thursday (today).

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2023