Police detained Shehryar Khan Afridi, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) politician and former Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir. He got arrested in Islamabad late Monday night, according to Dunya News.
Following nationwide violent protests against the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government has tightened the noose around the PTI leaders. According to Pakistani sources, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi was apprehended in Islamabad’s F/8 district.
Sources say Shehryar Afridi was arrested under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (3MPO). Following his arrest, police sent him to an undisclosed location.
In Punjab, police detained party leader Fayyaz-ul-Hasan Chohan on Murree Road in Liaquat Bagh.
A huge contingent was deployed to prevent him from reaching the Rawalpindi Press Club. According to authorities, a case was filed against Chohan on May 9 at Sadiqabad police station. Accusing him of arson and inciting workers during protests.
Chohan is also suspected of torching and vandalising the Sixth Road metro station. However, the Anti-Terrorism Court granted the PTI politician pre-arrest release until May 18.
Police stormed Chohan’s house last night but could not catch him.
Both Afridi and Chohan join a list of PTI leaders who have been detained, including Asad Umar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhary, Ejaz Chaudhary, Ali Mohammad Khan, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, and Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, after violence erupted following Khan’s arrest, which was later declared “illegal” by the Supreme Court.
While the PTI chairman was released two days after being detained, a crackdown on his party’s politicians continues, with relevant authorities slowing down their actions.
During this arrest spree, Dr Shireen Mazari, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Maleeka Bukhari, and other female party officials were captured.
Meanwhile, in Sindh, the provincial government labelled former PTI minister Ali Zaidi’s home a sub-jail.
On Monday night, a notification was sent in this regard. Law officials also apprehended Zaidi on May 9 following mayhem in the Baloch Colony area.
His family thereafter petitioned the Sindh High Court to challenge his detention. The Sindh government declared Zaidi’s house a sub-jail on Monday during a meeting to examine the state of law and order.