Veteran politician Javed Hashmi has alleged that Punjab police raided his Multan residence early on Wednesday and arrested his son-in-law and grandson.

Hashmi, who was once president of the PTI, made the claim in a post on social media platform X. He said around 20 police officers entered his residence in Makhdoom Rasheed town in Multan district illegally at 1am and made the arrests without showing any warrants.

“They violated the sanctity of my home,” he added. He further said his son-in-law Shahid Bahar and grandson Qasim were taken into “illegal custody”.

Several workers in his house were also arrested, he said. He also shared photos of his home, including a broken-down door.

Dawn.com has reached out to Multan police for a comment.

Earlier this week, Hashmi had announced his withdrawal from the NA-149 election and the launch of a movement for the release of former premier Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala Jail for corruption and treason charges.

Addressing a press conference at his Lahore residence, Hashmi said he had always supported anyone who fought against the establishment. He said he had backed Nawaz Sharif when he was excluded from the 2018 election by the establishment, which had allegedly supported Imran and PTI.

Hashmi said he had left the party in 2014 after disagreeing with Imran’s decision to stage a sit-in in Islamabad against the elected government of Nawaz. He said he had rejoined the PML-N in 2018 after reconciling his differences with the Sharifs.

Hashmi accused the establishment of being responsible for the country’s economic and political woes, and said no establishment could make the country and nation prosperous. He said Imran was now standing in front of the establishment, and that was why he was supporting him.

Hashmi said Nawaz had compromised principles for power. He said Jahangir Tareen, a former PTI leader, was not a politician. He said it would have been better if Sheikh Tariq Rasheed or any other Muslim League candidate was given the ticket for NA-149.

He said he was a Muslim League member and would remain a Muslim Leaguer till he died. He hoped that the people of Pakistan would support his cause and stand with him.