PTI top leaders, SIC chief briefly detained for ‘violating’ Section 144

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Police briefly detained top leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) chief and later released them for “violating Section 144” when they went to Adiala jail to meet party founder Imran Khan on Tuesday.

Opposition party leaders Omar Ayub, Asad Qaiser, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, and SIC Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza were taken into custody when they went to meet PTI founder Imran Khan in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

Aliya Hamza Malik was also part of the delegation that came to meet the PTI founder; however, she was not arrested as she was standing at a distance from the other leaders.

Opposition leader in the National Assembly Ayub, prior to his arrest, told reporters that the party leaders had arrived at Adiala jail after a court allowed them to meet Imran.

In conversation with Geo News, opposition leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz said they had come to meet the PTI founder to discuss the protest strategy with him as well as exchanging views on the party’s future strategy.

In response, police personnel informed Geo News that the top PTI leaders had been arrested for “violating” Section 144, which was imposed in Rawalpindi earlier this week ahead of the party’s anticipated rally.

In a statement, the former ruling party said the politicians were arrested “unjustly” for “simply exercising their right to meet with Khan, as permitted by law”. The PTI also demanded their immediate release.