LAHORE: Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid has criticised PML-N President Nawaz Sharif for making “false statements” about not believing in political victimisation.

In a letter written from jail and shared with the media on Friday, she accused Sharif and his daughter, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, of arresting and re-arresting women prisoners, including Sanam Javed and Aaliya Hamza, in various jails in Punjab.

“Isn’t it a political victimisation that women prisoners, including Sanam Javed and Aaliya Hamza, have severally been arrested and incarcerated in Mianwali, Sargodha and Gujranwala jails,” she stated in a letter written from jail and shared with media on Friday. “Isn’t it political victimisation to arrest Amjad Niazi and his workers soon after their release on court orders,” she asked.

Reiterating that he and his “ruthless” daughter are orchestrating a campaign of political vendetta against PTI leaders and workers, she asked, “Wasn’t it ruthlessness to lodge an FIR against hundreds of PTI leaders and workers when they were busy holding a peaceful workers’ convention in Sahiwal?”

She said the Punjab Police under its incumbent chief had become a slave of Sharifs.

She asked whether it was not a political victimisation to send six-time MPA and provincial minister Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed back to jail from the hospital without waiting for his recovery after the operation.

Dr Rashid reminded Nawaz whether he had forgotten that she herself had reached him in the hospital with a message from Prime Minister Imran Khan offering that the government could call a physician from abroad for his treatment. “Look at the nerve you have and the then prime minister Imran Khan,” she commented.

The PTI Punjab president said the PML-N had committed worse political victimisation towards the people of Pakistan by giving a back-breaking budget to the masses. “Obviously, you will not spare the masses from political victimisation because they had given votes to Imran Khan,” she said.

Dr Rashid appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to review the situation at the ATC court, where justice could not be dispensed. “We expect from you to intervene and ensure justice for the political prisoners,” she appealed.

The PTI workers present in the ATC court told Dawn that Dr Yasmin also told the policemen in court that she and other political prisoners could not be discharged until the police and judiciary were liberated.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2024