ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday termed the arrest of its acting president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, as the worst kind of suppression of the freedom of expression.

Demanding immediate release of Mr Hashmi, a steering committee meeting of the party, which was presided over by PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, expressed resentment over the arrest, saying that the midnight raid on Mr Hashmi’s residence in which the police had broken into his bedroom, was reminiscent of the tactics of the notorious Gestapo of Nazi Germany.

The committee also appealed to the civilized nations to review their policies towards the military regime in view of its undemocratic and illegal acts and violations of the basic human rights.

It noted that Mr Hashmi had been arrested immediately after the PML working committee decided on Wednesday to participate in the countrywide strike on November 9 to peacefully protest against the Afghan policy of the present government.

The committee stated that the government was bent upon ousting the moderate PML-N from its political role in the country.

The steering committee meeting was also attended by Saranjam Khan, Akram Zaki, Ahsan Iqbal, Raja Nadir Pervez, Chaudhry Mohammad Riaz, Mamnoon Hussain, Syed Jameel Hussain Bukhari, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir, Ijaz Shafi, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Chaudhry Khurshid Zaman, Birjees Tahir, Mushaidulla Khan, Shah Mohammad Shah, Begum Najma Hameed, Tehmina Daultana and Siddiqul Farooq..