ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police on Thursday arrested seven leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) including three women leaders after arrest of party Chairman Imran Khan.
Three women leaders included former Federal Minister Malaika Bokhari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Falak Naz Chitrali.
Fawad Chaudhry, was arrested by the police as soon as he stepped outside the Supreme Court building. Chaudhry had been inside the building for 12 hours, refusing to leave due to the fear of arrest. However, he was eventually taken into custody under the Third Schedule and transferred to the police headquarters.
Prior to his arrest, Chaudhry spoke to the media and expressed his views on the situation. He said that lawyers have been so divided that even their power has ended. He added, “Today, I am also being arrested in this manner. A petitioner has never been arrested in this way before.” He also mentioned that his bail was granted in the high court yesterday.
Chaudhry’s arrest has caused further divisions in the country, similar to Imran Khan’s arrest, which was also made within the limits of the court. Instead of calming down the situation, Imran Khan’s arrest has created more tensions.
According to the Islamabad police, they arrested four male leaders, including former federal ministers Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, and Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, along with three female leaders of the party including Falak Naz Chitrali, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Malaika Bukhari as part of their strategy to contain and quell violent protests.
“All arrests have been made in accordance with legal requirements,” said the Islamabad police spokesperson.
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Earlier, Anti-Terrorism Squad arrested PTI General Secretary Asad Umar from nearby the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and was shifted to some unknown person. He was there to file application in IHC against arrest of Imran Khan. The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) conducted raid at the residence of former Punjab Governor Omar Sarfraz Cheema and handed him over to Punjab police in a case registered against him under 7ATA.
