ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: Pakistan Awami Tehrik Senior Vice-Chairman Ghulam Murtaza Pooya on Wednesday condemned the registration of a case against PAT chief Tahirul Qadri and arrest of his guards in Jhang.

Talking to newsmen, Pooya said action against senior politicians was a bid to intimidate them by using police and administrative machinery to get desired results in the polls.

He demanded immediate withdrawal of the case and release of the guards. He said the guards’ services had been hired from a private security agency with the permission of the government.

He alleged that the electoral laws and the code of conduct were only being applied against opposition parties while the king’s party was at liberty to utilise official machinery and resources for moulding public opinion in their favour.

Murtaza Pooya said Tahirul Qadri had hired services of private security guards after warning from government agencies of a risk to his life.