BAJAUR: The police on Tuesday arrested a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf local leader, Rehan Zeb Khan, for attending a workers’ convention here in violation of the Section 144.

Sources in the police and PTI said Mr Zeb was arrested when he along with party workers was coming to the judicial complex in Khar for confirming his bail-before-arrest in a case registered against him by the police for violating restriction on holding of public gatherings on Saturday.

He was taken into custody near the Khar Bridge by a team led by the Khar police station SHO.

Mr Khan was the fourth PTI leader to have been arrested in this case. Earlier, the police had arrested three activists, including two former ministers, Anwarzeb Khan and Shakeel Khan, on Saturday evening.

According to the police, a total 25 PTI workers and leaders, including central vice-president Sher Afzal Khan Marwat Advocate, were named in the FIR registered at the Khar police station late on Saturday evening, an hour after the party’s gathering.

The police said Mr Khan would be produced before the judicial magistrate on Wednesday (today).

Sources in the police told Dawn that efforts were underway to detain other party workers nominated in the FIR, including former MNAs Gul Zafar Khan, Gul Dad Khan and former MPA Ajmal Khan.

Meanwhile, a large number of workers of different political parties on Tuesday announced to join Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

They announced the decision during a ceremony held in Raghagan Banda area of Salarzai tehsil. PML-N provincial vice-president Shahabuddin Khan chaired the meeting, according to a statement.

The statement said prominent among those who joined PML-N was PTI’s Malik Umar Gul.

The new entrants described PML-N a party of vision and pledged to work for its betterment in the district.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr Shahabuddin, Waheed Khan, Malik Riaz Khan and other party leaders welcomed the newcomers in the PML-N fold.

They expressed the hope that their joining would inspire more youth and political activities to join PML-N before the coming elections.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2023