Father of senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former federal minister Hammad Azhar was arrested by Punjab police just before a crucial election rally in Lahore.
The arrest was made just ahead of the PTI’s highly anticipated countrywide power show, since May 9 protests.
Hammad Azhar took to social media to express his dismay, revealing that his 82-year-old father, Mian Azhar, a PTI-backed independent candidate for the upcoming February 8 elections from the NA-129 constituency, was arrested despite his desire to exercise his democratic and constitutional right to lead a rally.
In a strongly worded post on a social media platform, Hammad Azhar lamented the state of affairs in Pakistan, stating, “Pakistan has today been reduced to a total fascist state with zero human rights or rule of law. One Nawaz Sharif and his daughter calling the shots and ruining the country.”
Later, Hammad shared a defiant video of his father, Mian Azhar, who asserted, “We are in the office, and attempts have been made to sabotage our rally, but our spirits are elevated. God willing, we will take out the rally.”
The PTI swiftly condemned the arrest, labeling it as “highly condemnable” and pointing out the alleged discriminatory treatment faced by their candidates.
The party criticized the ongoing policy of raiding homes and businesses of their leadership and workers, emphasizing that it only harmed Pakistan and its citizens.
However, so far there was no version of the police on the unceremonious arrest of the PTI leader.
The political landscape has intensified, with PTI’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, directing all ticket holders to stage rallies across the country today. Failure to comply with this directive, Imran warned, could result in the cancellation of their tickets.
