Arrests of PTI Leaders continue as Yasmin Rashid is taken into custody for an attack on Lahore Corps Commander’s residence
The police crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders continues with no signs of slowing down as senior PTI leaders Dr. Shireen Mazari and Dr. Yasmin Rashid were arrested by police in raids carried out in Islamabad and Lahore. Prior to these recent arrests, a number of other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders had also been taken into custody, including Imran Khan, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ali Mohammad Khan, and Senator Ejaz Chaudhry.
During the early hours of Friday, the police carried out a raid on the residence of Shireen Mazari in Islamabad. All of the arrested PTI leaders were arrested under section three of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). These arrests are a result of their participation in protests and rallies against the government’s policies.
Former Punjab health minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid has been arrested as per a statement released by PTI. PTI leader Andaleeb Abbas mentioned that Rashid was trying to evade arrest by hiding. Two days prior, police had taken her close family members into custody. Her husband was released due to his deteriorating health, but her brother-in-law is still in police custody. Dr. Yasmin Rashid faces several charges, one of which involves an alleged attack on the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence.
Furthermore, the court has mandated Imran Khan to present himself before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) by the next day, which is the same court that previously deemed his arrest lawful. Additionally, the court has established a precedent that prohibits the arrest of any individual within the premises of a court.
The Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) is a colonial-era law that allows the government to detain individuals without charge for up to three months. The government has been using this law to silence dissenting voices and to crack down on political protests. The use of MPO has been criticized by human rights organizations as it violates basic human rights. PTI has been at the forefront of several political protests against the government, demanding better governance and transparency. The government, on the other hand, has been using all means possible to suppress these protests, including arrests of political leaders and activists.
The arrests of PTI leaders have come as a blow to the party. The party has been struggling to maintain its position in the political landscape of Pakistan. The PTI won the 2018 general elections with a landslide victory, but its popularity has been on the decline ever since. The arrests of PTI leaders have further eroded the party’s credibility. The party has been accusing the government of using state institutions to suppress political dissent and to silence the opposition. The recent arrests have given credence to these accusations.
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The arrests have also led to widespread protests by PTI supporters across the country. The party has been demanding the immediate release of its leaders and an end to the government’s crackdown on political dissent. The arrests of PTI leaders have raised concerns about the government’s commitment to democracy and human rights. The use of MPO to silence dissenting voices is a blatant violation of human rights. The government must respect the right to freedom of expression and allow peaceful political protests.
